UP minister says Cong gen secy a ‘Siberian crane’

LUCKNOW : UP minister Mohsin Raza on Monday made a controversial remark against Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, describing her as a ‘Siberian crane’.

Raza’s comment comes hours after another UP BJP lawmaker passed a sexist comment against Priyanka’s mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, comparing her to folk dancer Sapna Chaudhary.

Raza, responding to Priyanka’s proposed Ayodhya visit on Wednesday, first said she was going to the temple town for Babur, the mughal emperor on whose name the Ayodhya mosque was built and which was felled on December 6, 1992.

“She is like a Siberian crane,” Raza said days after another UP minister had stirred a controversy by describing Congress chief Rahul Gandhi a ‘eunuch.’

Raza, who is also BJP’s minister in-charge of Amethi, had earlier described Rahul as a ‘thief on the run’ in response to the likelihood of Rahul contesting from a second constituency in South India.

“The political discourse is likely to touch a new low as we move deeper into the elections. With lots at stake, frustration is expected. But it’s surprising how women politicians are being targeted so brazenly,” said Athar Siddiqui of the Centre for Objective Research and Development (CORD).

A few days back Surendra Singh, the BJP lawmaker from Ballia, had in a new low in political discourse claimed that BSP chief Mayawati gets facial done daily and colours her hair to look young.

Union minister Mahesh

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The political discourse is likely to touch a new low as we move deeper into the elections. With lots at stake, frustration is expected. But it’s surprising how women politicians are being targeted so brazenly ATHAR SIDDIQUI , Director CORD

Sharma, too, had made a rather objectionable comment against Priyanka Gandhi asking at a public meeting if she was ‘Pappu’s Pappi’? Hours before this comment on Priyanka, BJP MLA Surendra Narayan Singh had, while reacting to reports of the possibility of Haryana folk dancer Sapna Chaudhary joining Congress, said the Congress chief was only following a family principle.

“Rahul Gandhi is merely following his family’s example for his mother, too, was a dancer in Italy,” Singh had said and had drew flak for it too.

“It’s shocking. The discourse has touched a new low. I believe the BJP must get its lawmaker to apologise,” SP Kashyap, a UP CPI (M) functionary, said.

BJP leaders have been consistently calling Rahul a ‘Pappu’ (meaning dimwit in local parlance) in response to Congress describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi a ‘feku’ (one who bluffs).

Congress leader Piyush Mishra said the remarks against Congress leadership merely showcased the rising desperation in the BJP camp.