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'Be a man', Rahul Gandhi tells PM Modi, invites criticism

'Be a man', Rahul Gandhi tells PM Modi, invites criticism

Jan 10, 2019
12:50 pm

What's the story

Congress President Rahul Gandhi has found himself at the center of a controversy after he claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scared of his questions and instead sent a woman to defend himself at the Parliament. His obvious reference to Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman didn't sit well with BJP who called RaGa 'misogynist'. RaGa's tweet to repair the damage further created a stir.

Series of events

PM Modi ran away, sent a woman, said RaGa

It all started when RaGa in a rally in Rajasthan mentioned Rafale and said PM Modi didn't face questions. "The watchman with a 56-inch chest ran away and told a woman, Sitharaman ji, defend me. I won't be able to defend myself, defend me," he said, using the word mahila for a woman. He added Sitharaman couldn't answer a yes or no question.

The response

PM Modi says after lies demolished, Opposition attacking Defense Minister

On Wednesday, when PM Modi addressed a rally in Agra later in the day he attacked RaGa. He said Sitharaman was India's daughter and went on to become the first female Defense Minister. Referring to the marathon speech of Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha, PM Modi said she silenced the entire Opposition and they were stunned. He said RaGa insulted India's women power.

Quote

"Matter of pride that a daughter became India's Defense Minister"

"For the first time, a daughter of the county has become Defense Minister. Our Defense Minister silenced all the Opposition parties in Parliament (on Rafale) and exposed their lies. They were so stunned that now they are insulting a woman Defense Minister," PM Modi said.

Raging row

Later, RaGa tweeted and added fuel to the fire

But the war of words was far from over. Last night, RaGa took to his Twitter account asking PM Modi to 'Be A Man' and answer his questions. This prompted BJP leaders, including Union Ministers Smriti Irani and Sushma Swaraj, to launch a sharp attack on RaGa. Swaraj said he hit a new low in politics and Irani tweeted RaGa was intimidated by Sitharaman.

Twitter Post

"Stop shaking. Be a man," tweets RaGa

Twitter Post

Sushma Swaraj hits out at RaGa after his comments

Reactions

Separately, RaGa gets notice from NCW; slammed by Twitter users

Meanwhile, the National Commission of Women has sent a notice to RaGa over his 'PM ran away and asked a mahila to defend him' statement. Separately, on Twitter #BeAMan trend garnered plenty of tweets. @sanagajapati tweeted: A new low in Indian Politics! @RahulGandhi's remarks on India's Defence Minister @nsitharaman is disgraceful and is an insult to every Indian Woman. Real men celebrate women. #BeAMan

Twitter Post

BJP's Amit Malviya slams RaGa