‘Why should I apologise?’ asks Congress leader over comment on Smriti Irani

The last election season of 2022 just got over but the political battle for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections has heated up amid controversies. On Monday, Union Minister Smriti Irani hit out at Rahul Gandhi following a misogynist remark by his party colleague, which was made in context with the Amethi constituency, a bastion of Congress where Irani got elected in 2019. The comment triggered chaos in Parliament also on Tuesday.

In her tweet (loosely translated form Hindi), targeting Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul over Ajay Rai's comment, Irani wrote: "Heard that Rahul Gandhi has got the announcement on his Amethi contest made via a party leader. I hope you will not run to contest another seat, and won't get scared. PS: You & Mummy ji need to get your misogynistic goons a new speechwriter," she further said."

The comment by Rai - cited in reports - which had sparked a row was: "It (Amethi) has been the seat of the Gandhi family. Rahul jee has been the Lok Sabha MP from there, so has been Rajiv (Gandhi) jee and Sanjay (Gandhi) jee, and they have served it."

He also mentioned Irani, who represents the seat in Lok Sabha. "Most of the factories in Amethi are on the verge of closure. Half of the factories in Jagdishpur industrial area are lying shut. Smriti Irani only comes, shows 'latka-jhatka', and leaves," Rai, who is a regional chief of the party, said. This was seen as reference to Irani's acting career before she took up politics.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken note of the remark.

Amid anger over his comments, while speaking to news agency ANI, Rai on Tuesday asked: "I didn't intend to insult anyone. It's our colloquial language which means that somebody suddenly appears and says something and then disappears. It's not unparliamentary language. So why should I apologise?"