Senior Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav, who stoked a fresh controversy with his remark "honour of a vote is more important that the honour of a daughter," has been asked to explain his comment within 24 hours by the National Commission for Women (NCW).
In a notice issued to the Rajya Sabha MP, NCW has asked Yadav to explain his remarks within 24 hours or appear before the commission.
"Considering the gravity of the offensive and objectionable statement, you are hereby required to provide a satisfactory explanation to the Commission on the matter within 24 hours of the receipt of this notice failing which you will be required to appear before the Commission," the letter sent to Yadav said.
"NCW strongly condemns the use of such an offensive, objectionable and misogynistic statement made by persons holding responsible positions which shows extreme disrespect to women," it said.
While addressing an event in Patna yesterday Yadav had said, "Ballot paper ke bare mein bade paimaane pe sab jagah samjhane ki zarurat hai. Beti ki izzat se vote ki izzat badi hai. (It is very important to educate people in a big way about how the ballot paper works. The honour of being able to cast a vote is a much bigger honour than your daughter's honour)."
New agency ANI further reported that the former JD(U) national president gave bizarre explanation to justify his remark.
“Beti ki izzat jaygi to gaon, mohalle ki izzat jayegi. Vote ek baar bik gya to desh ki izzat, aur aane wala sapna poora nhi ho skta. (If a daughter's honour is violated, her neighbourhood and her village lose their honour, but if a vote is sold, it is the country's honour that goes. All our dreams for the future vanish)," the MP said.
Speaking to television channels, NCW Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam said this morning, "Women are tired of being humiliated on public platforms on various issues. Votes are a political tool and women are not a tool. We will issue a notice and if required we will issue summons as well."
Kumaramangalam also termed BJP leader Vinay Katiyar's remarks as "ridiculous and unacceptable".
"To compare women on the basis of their looks is totally ridiculous and not acceptable. Priyanka is much more than her looks. I don't think women who have come up in life is because of their looks but it is because of their competence and hard work," the NCW Chairperson had said.
Meanwhile, defending Yadav, party general secretary KC Tyagi said that the leader’s remarks were ‘wrongly interpreted and nothing much should be read into his comments’.
In March 2015, Yadav had invited severe criticism for his remarks on ‘dark-skinned south Indian women during a debate on the Insurance Bill’.
