Bihar: RJD leader passes sexist comments on Women's Reservation Bill
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui caused a new uproar on Saturday by claiming that women with bob-cut hairstyles and lipsticks would come forward to enjoy the benefits of the Women's Reservation Bill. According to media reports, the RJD leader's remarks came while speaking at an event in the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar organized by the extremely backward classes to back the bill.
Why does this story matter?
The recently passed Women's Reservation Bill, or the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, reserves 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for females. Before the Bill was passed in both Houses, the RJD, which had also opposed the Bill 13 years ago, stated that it did not support the Bill because it would not bring social justice in its current form. Its party spokesperson, Shakti Yadav, said it will only help privileged women.
Siddiqui's sexist remark on women's reservation
"Women will come wearing lipstick and bob cut hair in the name of reservation," news agency PTI quoted Siddiqui as saying. "Fix quota for extremely backward classes too, then it is fine, otherwise people with a bob cut and lipstick will reach the Parliament in the name of women's reservation," the RJD leader added. He also urged supporters to stop spending time on social media and watching television without using their brains.
Check out Siddiqui's address here
Siddiqui's remark triggers political backlash
The RJD leader's remarks went viral quickly, triggering a massive backlash. Reacting to it, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad stated, "The kind of language he had used against women, sisters and daughters of India is shameful, disgraceful and condemnable." "It is shocking. What is this language? What is the real intention? When you were in power, did you make any attempt for the empowerment of the OBC for Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha?" Prasad asked.
What he says now is not relevant: Chaturvedi
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, on the other hand, said, "If you see RJD's stance in Parliament, you can see that they have given their support to the Women's Reservation Bill." "Not only RJD, but several other parties had said that reservations for OBC women should be given in this. So what he says now is not relevant," she told ANI.
Here's what Chaturvedi said
Siddiqui issues clarification amid backlash
Amid the backlash for his remark, Siddiqui claimed that he made those comments to explain the problem to rural women in their own terminology. "In that rally, hundreds of rural women were there. I used that language to explain to the rural woman in their language," he clarified. "My intention was not to hurt anyone. If someone is hurt, I express regret," India TV quoted Siddiqui as saying.
