Mumbai: Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Chandrakant Patil has sparked controversy after for making remarks against Supriya Sule, MP and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader. Patil asked Sharad Pawar’s daughter to “go home and cook” instead of being in politics, drawing sharp reactions from NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena who dubbed him a “misogynist”.
Demanding an apology, NCP cadres on Thursday protested against Patil and BJP.
Patil commented in response to Sule’s statement, wherein she said that Madhya Pradesh got the OBC reservation soon after chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan went to Delhi.
“Why are you (Sule) even in politics? Go home and cook. You’re an MP, but you still don’t know how to get an appointment with the chief minister, or how to take a delegation. It’s time for you to go home… Go to Delhi or wherever, but give (OBC) reservation,” Patil said at a protest rally in Mumbai seeking reservation for the OBC.
Sule’s husband also slammed Patil for the remarks.
Patil on Thursday claimed that he did not insult Sule and that NCP leaders are trying to blow things out of proportion.
“How does it become a misogynist remark? If you keep aside the cooking part (of the statement), I only said if you don’t understand the triple test (as mandated by SC for OBC reservation) and are unable to provide the OBC reservation then go home. Sadanand Ji, it is not my nature to insult your wife or anyone,” Patil told reporters.
“I have not insulted her. We greet each other with a lot of respect whenever we meet,” he added.
Sule, while addressing a state-level convention of the OBC cell of NCP, on Wednesday, said, “Recently MP chief minister went to Delhi and what did MP do in the next two days, they got justice and still we are facing injustice. I will ask this question to the central government for sure.”
Her cousin and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar also reacted saying no one has the right to say something like this to anyone.
“Our constitution provides fundamental rights to all. No one has the right to tell anyone to stay at home. Is it ok if I also tell Chandrakant Patil to go to Kolhapur and stay at home? I can’t say this similarly, he also doesn’t have the right to say something like this to my sister. It is the right of the people, they only can decide whom to elect and whom to send home,” Ajit Pawar said in his response.
Sule’s husband, who usually stays away from politics, condemned the statement saying, “This is the Maharashtra BJP President speaking about Supriya (Sule). I have always maintained that they (BJP) are misogynistic and demean women whenever they can.”
“I am proud of my wife who is a homemaker, mother and a successful politician, one amongst many other hardworking and talented women in India….this is an insult to all women,” Sadanand Sule said in a series of tweets.
Backing the NCP MP, Congress leader and state women and child development minister Yashomati Thakur said that time has come for sister-in-law to attend Cannes Film Festival and for male family members to cook food at home.
Thakur was referring to Amruta Fadnavis, wife of opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis, who is attending the Cannes Film Festival.
“Chandrakant Dada, this is the time when Vahini (sister-in-law) is going to Cannes and brothers and others will have to cook at home. Time has changed, don’t underestimate women. You won’t know when women will shut down your shop,” Thakur said.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also hit out at the BJP leader. “Misogynistic, distasteful & shameful thought process of BJP in full display yet again, @supriya_sule ji has been a strong woman’s voice in the state & parliament, has won accolades too, shame he reduces opposing her to this. Chandrakant ji owes an apology to the women of this country,” she tweeted on Thursday.