Flying kiss row: NDA women MPs demand strict action against Rahul Gandhi, write to Speaker Om Birla

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) women MPs on Wednesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla demanding strict action against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for making “inappropriate gesture” towards BJP MP Smriti Irani after he finished his speech during the no-confidence motion debate.

“The said member (Rahul Gandhi) has behaved in an indecent manner and making inappropriate gesture towards Smriti Zubin Irani, Union Minister and member of this House, while she was addressing the House. We demand stringent action against such behavior by the member, which has not only insulted the dignity of women members in the House, but has also brought disrepute and lowered the dignity of this august House,” read the letter signed by the more than 20 women MPs. The signatories to the complaint included Shobha Karandlaje, Darshana Vikram Jardosh and Debasree Chaudhuri. Earlier while addressing the Lok Sabha during the no-confidence debate, Irani had objected to Rahul Gandhi’s inappropriate gesture saying that it is only a misogynistic man who can give a flying kiss to a Parliament which seats female Members of Parliament. “I object to something. The one who was given the chance to speak before me displayed indecency before leaving. It is only a misogynistic man who can give a flying kiss to a Parliament which seats female members of Parliament. Such undignified conduct was never before seen in the Parliament of the country…,” the Union Minister said.

Union Minister and BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje questioned Rahul Gandhi’s behaviour and said that they have complained to the Speaker urging him to check the CCTV footage and take action against him. “By giving a flying kiss to all women members, Rahul Gandhi went away. This is a total misbehaviour of a member. This is inappropriate and indecent behaviour of a member. Senior members are telling that this has never happened in the history of Parliament of India…What is this behaviour? What kind of a leader is he? That is why, we have complained to the Speaker to take CCTV footage of it and take action against him. This is what we have demanded,” she said.

Later, emerging out of Parliament, Irani said, “Never before has the misogynistic behaviour of a man been so visible in Parliament as what was done by Rahul Gandhi today. When the House of the people, where laws are made to protect the dignity of women, during the course of a session stands witness to a man’s misogyny, my question is should he be brought to task?…”

With inputs from agencies