Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's allegations that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) discriminates women and his observation about why women of the Sangh are not allowed to wear shorts sparked a huge controversy on Tuesday.
Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat, attacks Modi, Amit Shah over son's business earnings
Gandhi targeted the RSS on day two of the second leg of his Navsarjan Yatra across central Gujarat on Tuesday.
"Have you seen a single woman at an RSS shakha wearing shorts? I have never seen any. Why aren't women allowed in RSS? They (BJP) have so many women in the party, but I have not seen a single woman in the RSS. What mistake have they made?" Gandhi said.
However, these comments did not go down well with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the RSS, and they have asked Gandhi to apologise.
RSS wants apology
The Hindutva body on Wednesday sought an apology from the Congress vice-president and said that he should first understand and be aware of the activities of the Sangh before making any allegations.
"Rahul Gandhi should first understand the activities of the Sangh and refrain from making such comments on such a matter which do not have any substance," Vijay Thakar, the media in-charge of the Gujarat unit of the RSS, was quoted as saying by the Financial Express.
"He should apologise because he is not aware of the functioning of the RSS. There is a Rashtra Sevika Samiti, a parallel body of the RSS, and both are engaged in nation building since 1936 and wedded to the nationalist ideology," Thakar stated while adding that the women members of the RSS have always helped "directly or indirectly in achieving the goals" of the Sangh.
BJP women slams Gandhi
Interestingly, Gandhi was condemned by not male but female party leaders of the BJP. Union minister Smriti Irani called Gandhi's comments indecent and derogatory.
"If Rahulji believes that wearing shorts in India is a sign of empowerment, as a woman I want to contradict it," Irani said while addressing a mega rally with BJP chief Amit Shah in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi.
"Today, an indecent comment has been made on our sisters connected with the Sangh, the Rashtriya Sevika Sangh or the sisters, wives and sisters-in-law of ordinary Sangh workers," Irani added.
Former Chief Minister of Gujarat and BJP member Anandiben Patel also hit out at Gandhi for insulting women with his comments.
"Today, he (Rahul Gandhi) said such undignified (ashobhaniya) words for you that hearing which our heads are bowed in shame. This person has said that in RSS shakha and RSS meetings women cannot wear shorts and there are no women there," Patel said during a foundation ceremony of a drainage pipeline project in Ahmedabad.
"I want to ask him that shall I have to ask you and decide what I have to wear. What upbringing is this that he has used such shameful words in public," Patel said while adding that Gandhi should apologise for his words
Another BJP spokeswoman Nupur Sharma, tweeted, "If your objective is to see women in shorts there's little hope you'll be able to do anything for women empowerment."
