Wrestlers' protests: Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani and Congress on Wednesday engaged in a Twitter war. It all started when Congress' official Twitter handle shared a ‘missing’ poster of Irani. However, there was no clear context was written in the Twitter post. But, since she holds the ministry that takes care of women's development, it was expected that she will intervene in the matter to ensure justice for the women wrestlers who were allegedly subjected to sexually harassement by the BJP MP and WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Several Opposition leaders criticised Irani over her silence on the issue.
In another tweet, an hour after the previous one, Congress again tweeted this time it posted a picture of Irani along with Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi, writing- 'one hides the tweet and the other runs away on the questions of women wrestlers. The second tweet carried the caption- 'Beti Bachao'.
Irani's reply
Responding to Congress' 'missing' tweet, Irani said in Hindi- “O divine political creature, I have just left Sirsira village, Vidhan Sabha Salon, Lok Sabha Amethi towards Dhuranpur. If looking for the former MP please contact US'. Her tweet was a jibe at former Amethi MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
NCP takes jibe at Irani
Earlier, Nationalist Congress Party leader Supriya Sule condemned police action against protesting wrestlers in New Delhi on Sunday while party national spokesperson Clyde Crasto hit out at Union Minister Smriti Irani. Delhi Police detained ace wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia for violation of law and order after they breached the security cordon while trying to move towards the new Parliament building for a planned women's 'Mahapanchayat'. "Did the Union Home Ministry grant permission to manhandle them? The Central government must provide unequivocal answers," tweeted Sule, who said she was deeply dismayed by the deplorable treatment of Olympic medallists and sportswomen. Hitting out at the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Crasto said, "Ms Smriti Irani, these are our women wrestlers and see how they are being manhandled. You are India's woman and child development minister, is it not your duty to protect them and solve their problems. Why do we hear and see you speak only on issues concerning Rahul Gandhi."