Will PM Modi take action against abusive UP BJP MLA who called 'prostitutes better than officials'?

The UP BJP MLA on Tuesday said prostitutes are better than government officials.

Lucknow, June 6: Going by the statements of our political class it is clear that civility is long dead in Indian politics. The political discourse in the country has reached a shameful low as legislators and parliamentarians don't think twice before using unparliamentary language to attack their opponents.

One such lawmaker is Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Surendra Singh who has been hogging the limelight for all the wrong reasons. The UP BJP MLA on Tuesday said prostitutes are better than government officials. The latest statement of Singh has come just a day after he asked his supporters to give officials a "ghoosa" (punch) if they ask for "ghoos" (bribe).

"Officials se accha charitra vaishyaon ka hota hai, woh paisa lekar kam se kam apna kaam toh karti hain aur stage pe naachti hain. Par yeh officials toh paisa lekar bhi aapka kaam karenge ki nahi, iski koi guarantee hi nahi hai (Prostitutes are better than government officials; at least they take money and do their work and also dance on the stage. But these officials, even after taking money, don't do their work. There is no guarantee that the work will be done)," Singh said at a public meeting.

Officials se accha charitra vaishyaon ka hota hai, woh paisa lekar kam se kam apna kaam toh karti hain aur stage pe naachti hain. Par yeh officials toh paisa lekar bhi aapka kaam karenge ki nahi, iski koi guarantee hi nahi hai: Surendra Singh, BJP MLA pic.twitter.com/e9kTWxwX8F

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 5, 2018

Singh is the same BJP leader who had earlier called West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee "Surpanakha", the sister of demon king Ravana in Ramayana. He added that West Bengal could turn into Jammu and Kashmir from where Hindus had to migrate.

According to Singh, the country is witnessing rise in rape cases because of mobile phones. He also blamed parents for rising crimes against children as they let their wards "roam around freely". Once while dismissing the report of a rape in UP, Singh had said, "No one can rape a mother of three children."

Singh is not the only one who is making provocative, abusive and absurd statements from the BJP camp. Of late, every other day a BJP leader issue controversial statements--be it in the matter of science, religion, women or minority communities.

In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in order to rein in his erring lawmakers, had issued a warning a few weeks ago. Modi said, "We make mistakes and give masala to the media... as if we are great social scientists and experts to analyse issues..." The PM warned lawmakers and said not to "talk out of turn...it hurts the party image."

But it seems no one in the BJP takes the PM seriously as the leaders of the saffron party continue to make provocative statements. The latest statement by Singh has been lambasted by activists, political observers and public in general.

The sex worker community in the country said that the UP BJP MLA's statement exposes the saffron party's anti-women agenda by calling them "prostitutes". The sex worker community maintains that the members of its fraternity are not prostitutes but sex workers as they work to earn livelihood for themselves and their families. They say they too deserve respect.

Currently the issue of prostitution is a contentious one in India. India is estimated to have two million female sex workers. According to a Human Rights Watch report, the country's anti-trafficking laws are designed to combat commercialised vice. Prostitution, as such, is not illegal. Brothels are illegal 'de jure', but in practice they are restricted in location to certain areas of any places.