BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday slammed the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) over the controversy around the remarks made by its party leader on the women’s reservation bill.
RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui had criticised the central government and said it should provide reservations for women from backward communities as “those with lipsticks and bob cut hairstyles would come forward in the name of women’s reservation”.
Responding to the same, Ravi Shankar Prasad tore into the RJD and asked, “For 10 years you were in power along with (former Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh. Did you (RJD) make any attempt for the empowerment of the OBCs at the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha? No.”
The senior BJP leader also asked who stopped the RJD from making reservations for women from the OBC category once the Women’s Reservation Bill is implemented.
“But you will not do it. Because your whole approach is that power should only come to the family. Be it Lalu Prasad, then Rabri Devi, then Tejashwi Yadav,” he added.
He also slammed other Opposition parties, including the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress, accusing them of practising dynastic politics. The BJP MP said, “OBC or ordinary party workers have no place there. It is reserved for the family. Therefore, this hypocrisy, this double standard is shocking.”
Ravi Shankar Prasad slammed Abdul Bari Siddiqui over his remark and said the language he used to speak on women was “shameful, disgraceful and condemnable”.
Responding to Siddiqui’s criticism of the central government, the BJP MP said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked to empower women in the country.
“Today, a woman scientist played a crucial role in the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. Indian women are flying fighter planes. They are commissioned officers in the armed forces. Indian daughters are doing so well in the Asian Games as we see every day. They are winning gold medal after gold medal. Do we see their caste? What is your whole attitude?,” asked Ravi Prasad to the RJD leader.
After facing backlash over his remark, Abdul Bari Siddiqui had defended his statement saying it aimed at “ease of understanding for the rural people.” He also said he had no intent of hurting anybody with his statement.
