Women MPs cutting across party lines on Wednesday protested in the lok Sabha against TMC MP Sultan Ahmed’s ridiculing remarks against HRD Minister Smriti Irani. Ahmed’s comments dragging Irani’s acting career, while she was replying to questions, invited protests from women MPs, including from the Congress. However, TMC’s women MPs remained mum.
Through a supplementary question on mid-day meal scheme run by the HRD Ministry, Sultan Ahmed commented that the Minister was known in every household in the country for her role as an ideal daughter-in-law while acting in the popular TV serial ‘Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’, and that is why he was expecting good performance from her as a Minister.
Congress members Ranjeet Ranjan and Sushmita Dev immediately stood up and protested against the remark saying the TMC member has no business to refer about the acting career of the Minister and it has nothing to do with the issue being discussed, forcing Ahmed to make a hasty retreat. later, while asking a supplementary, Sushmita Dev expressed regret for the remarks made by Ahmed and congratulated Irani for holding the charge of the HRD Ministry, saying as a woman she was proud of her achievement. This prompted Irani to thank her profusely.