Cong seeks Yogi apology for remarks on women

THE CONGRESS on Monday attacked UP Chief Minister over his remarks about women in an article that appeared in his weekly journal in 2010 when the Women Reservation Bill was being discussed in Parliament. In the nine-page article, Yogi Adityanath had expressed his reservations against the Bill, while also claiming that “women power does not require freedom, but protection and channelisation”. While Yogi had opposed the Bill, the BJP had supported it.

Seeking an apology from the CM, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about “equality for women”, the “mindset of BJP is reflected by the article written by the UP Chief Minister on his website”. The Congress also claimed that the article was posted on the website on April 12, after Adityanath became CM.

The Congress said that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah must condemn such disparaging and distasteful remarks” and “issue an advisory, asking him not to use such language again”.

Recalling the article posted on Adityanath’s official website, its then editor Pradip Rao told The Indian Express: “I was the editor of weekly Hindavi, the then mouthpiece of Hindu Yuva Vahini. He was the chief editor. When the Women Reservation Bill was being discussed in the Lok Sabha, even BJP had agreed to it. But he was not in its favour. Then he wrote this article in Hindavi.”

He also said that the “article was uploaded on the website a few years ago”. “I and Maharaj ji (Adityanath) completely stand by its contents,” he added.

The article said that “our scriptures have always spoken about giving protection to women” because “as energy can go waste and cause damage if left free and uncontrolled, women power also does not require freedom, but protection and channelisation in a useful manner”.

Taking strong exception to the article, Surjewala said: “It is indeed shocking... The most shocking thing he says is that... if a woman becomes powerful, is brave... then she becomes a devil... If this is the mindset and attitude of the BJP, then this is reflective of the policies of the BJP.”

Claiming that the article was not only an insult to the women ofindia,buttoeverycitizenofthe country, Surjewala said: “Adityanathmustapologisetothe women of India...and also remove this article from his website .”