Haryana CM calls Sonia Gandhi "mari hui chuhiya", Congress fumes
Manohar Lal Khattar, the Chief Minister of Haryana, is (in)famous for his controversial remarks. He says things which spark a huge row, and Khattar has done it again by targeting interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Dismissing her return as the head of the party, Khattar called her "mari hui chuhiya" (dead rat). Obviously, Congress took offense at his words and demanded an apology.
The incident happened on Sunday when Khattar was addressing a rally in Sonipat, Haryana. Taking a dig at Congress' leadership, he said he was glad when former Congress President Rahul Gandhi said his successor won't be from his family. To recall, Rahul stepped down from the top post after Congress suffered a second straight defeat in Lok Sabha polls.
"Then, these people started searching (for the new president). After three months, they made Sonia Gandhi the Congress chief. It was like khoda pahaad, nikli chuhiya, woh bhi mari hui... (like digging up a mountain to find a mouse, that too a dead one)," he said.
This is not the first time that Khattar has passed controversial remarks against Sonia. Earlier this month, at a rally in Naraingarh in Ambala district he said, "When we say what should be given priority, we say country always comes first. On the other hand, Congress treats their leaders first, We say Bharat Mata Ki Jai, some in Congress say Sonia Mata Ki Jai."
Taking strong offense at Khattar's latest remark, Congress asked the BJP leader to apologize. The party said he has only shown the "the anti-women character" of BJP. As per reports, Delhi Pradesh Mahila Congress led by Sharmistha Mukherjee has called for a protest outside the saffron party's office at 2:30 pm today. Congress workers have also planned to burn an effigy of Khattar.
This comment by @mlkhattar is shameful. It is abundantly clear that @BJP4India is a party full of rabid misogynists. https://t.co/oY8Qy35jSP
— Sushmita Dev (@sushmitadevinc) October 13, 2019
While Congress plans to embolden its fight using Khattar's remarks, it's unclear if it will yield results. When Khattar made sexist remarks in August after the abrogation of Article 370, he remained unscathed. He had said the historic decision has paved way for bringing Kashmiri daughters-in-law to Haryana. While his sexism-laced comments sparked a massive row, Khattar said his statements were "misreported".
To note, Assembly elections will be held in Haryana on October 21, along with Maharashtra. The results will be declared on October 24. Both states are currently governed by BJP, and the party wants to keep it that way.
