A viral video, that drew the ire of several BJP leaders, showed Italia purportedly asking women to avoid temples and "kathas" (holy speeches) because they are "hubs of exploitation." Days prior, in yet another viral video, he was accused of making an objectionable comment about PM Modi.
National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Thursday tweeted that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers were creating a "ruckus" outside her office after the women's panel had summoned AAP Gujarat chief Gopal Italia in connection with a video, where he was purportedly seen using derogatory language for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “All the @AamAadmiParty hooligans are outside my office creating a ruckus," Sharma tweeted.
NCW (National Commission for Women) chairperson Rekha Sharma tweets about a ruckus outside her office.(@sharmarekha)
Following the uproar, Italia was detained from the NCW's office in the national capital by the Delhi Police.
A viral video, that drew the ire of several BJP leaders, showed Italia purportedly asking women to avoid temples and "kathas" (holy speeches) because they are "hubs of exploitation." Days prior, in yet another viral video, he was accused of making an objectionable comment about PM Modi.
It has been reported that the video is from 2019 and was made during the run-up to the general elections. Italia claimed that he was being targeted by the BJP as he was a "Patel, a community that has been associated with a movement that had caused a lot of damage" to the reputation of the party.
NCW had on Sunday summoned Italia, terming the language used by him as “gender prejudiced, misogynist and condemnable".
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party, meanwhile, has claimed that the BJP was resurrecting an old issue because it was unable to respond to queries on what it did for the people during 27 years of its rule in Gujarat where assembly elections are scheduled to take place in the coming months.
This happens to be the latest flashpoint between the BJP and the AAP.