'Tharoor told me Congress may be anti-women': Rijiju's big claim
What's the story
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused the Congress party of being anti-women, citing a conversation he had with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. In an interview with ANI, Rijiju claimed Tharoor once told him in Parliament hall that the "Congress may be anti-women, but no woman would consider Shashi Tharoor anti-women." To this, Rijiju replied, "Yes, I agree that no one would call you anti-women, but your party is anti-women."
MP
'Tharoor accepted that Congress is anti-women'
He stated that Tharoor in a way "accepted" that his party, Congress, has an anti-women stance. "He meant that even if Congress may be anti-women, women would not consider Shashi Tharoor anti-women. So what does that mean? It means that, in a way, he also accepted that Congress is anti-women. And I also accepted that he may not personally be anti-women, but his party is anti-women," the Union Minister stated.
Bill controversy
BJP accuses Congress of being anti-women
Ever since the Women's Reservation Bill failed to pass in Parliament this month as it couldn't get a 2/3 majority, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been accusing the Congress of being anti-women. Rijiju had alleged earlier that Congress "celebrated" depriving women of their rights by voting against this bill. He said, "It has been established that Congress is anti-women."
Backlash prediction
Rijiju had earlier said Congress would face women's wrath
Rijiju had said that the Congress would face the wrath of women across India for depriving them of their rights. He said, "The opposition considers it a victory after depriving women of their rights. But the women of the country will teach them a good lesson." In his national address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also attacked the opposition, saying its decision to vote against the bill was not only insulting to women but also comparable to female foeticide.