Is Jaiswal ready to fight against angry women on streets?

| Updated: Thursday, October 4, 2012, 15:03 [IST]

Lucknow, Oct 4: The controversy surrounding Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal's sexist remarks against women is unlikely to die down soon. Now, women's groups have hit the streets to showcase Jaiswal that they are powerful enough to fight for their dignity. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) women's wing organised a rally to protest Jaiswal's derogatory remarks in Lucknow on Thursday, Oct 4.

Chanting slogans against Jaiswal, women participating in the rally said, "Hum Bharat ki naari hain, phool nahi chingarii hain (We are Indian women, not flowers but flames)."

Sushma Kumar, an activist participating in the rally, said that it was a shameful episode where an Union Minister ridiculed and mocked women.

"We want to tell him that women are not weak and meek. We are powerful. The Union Minister should be punished for his derogatory statements against women," added Kumar.

Earlier, a similar protest was organised in Nagpur on Wednesday against Jaiswal's sexist remarks.

"The Congress president is a woman; still her Minister is insulting women. If she had the slightest respect for women, she would have sacked him," said a women activist in Nagpur.

A case has been lodged against the Union Minister in a district court in Kanpur for his 'old wives' remarks on Wednesday.

Women's organisations and opposition BJP leaders strongly protested against Jaiswal's remarks. The coal minister had rendered apology for hurting sentiments of women. Opposition BJP has also remanded resignation of the union minister.

Jaiswal, 68, is said to have made the remarks in a poetry function on Sunday.

Comparing India's Sunday win over Pakistan at the World T20 to a marriage, Jaiswal had said: "Nayi nayi jeet aur nayi nayi shaadi, iska apna alag mahatva hota hai... jaise jaise samay beetega..jeet ki yaadein purani hoti jayegi; jaise jaise samay beet ta hai, patni purani hoti chali jati hai, vo maza nahi rehta hai (New victory and new marriage have its own importance. Like an old victory, wives also becomes old that charm does not sustain over time)."

OneIndia News