Bhopal, Sep 26 Senior BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh Urban Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya's remarks at an event in the state sparked a political controversy after he criticised Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and his MP sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for their public displays of affection.
While addressing a party programme in Shajapur district on Thursday, Vijayvargiya said, “Our opposition leaders today are such that they kiss their young sisters in the middle of a crossroads. I want to ask you, who among you kisses your young sisters or daughters in public? This is a lack of values.”
The BJP Minister made this remark while discussing the values of Indian culture during the programme.
Vijayvargiya said, 'We are people of an old culture. In our sisters’ village, we don’t even drink the water. In Jirapur, where my aunt lived, my father would carry a pot of water from home.”
Vijayvargiya's remarks sparked a major political controversy after a short clip of his speech surfaced on social media on Friday, prompting the Congress to condemn the BJP leader's comments as 'outrageous'.
The Madhya Pradesh Congress, in a statement issued on Friday, said, “Kailash Vijayvargiya has tarnished the culture of the entire country with his outrageous comment on the sacred relationship between brother and sister. His statement is proof of the BJP's dirty mindset.”
The Congress party added that the bond between Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is a sacred one, like that of any brother and sister.
“But leaders like Kailash Vijayvargiya throw mud on this sacred relationship. This is not just an attack on Congress, but a shameful attempt to challenge the honour of every brother and sister in the country,” the Congress statement said.
The Minister's comments were seen as a veiled swipe at Rahul Gandhi, who is often photographed hugging or kissing his sister Priyanka at public rallies and events.
Talking to the media, state Congress chief Jitu Patwari said that Kailash Vijayvargiya chose Navratri -- the festival dedicated to the worship of the Mother Goddess -- to insult the sacred brother-sister bond."
“Everyone knows his language. He has insulted women repeatedly -- sometimes over their clothes, sometimes their education, sometimes their speech. This is his mindset regarding sisters and daughters. Frankly, I feel ashamed even to respond to such a shameless comment,” Patwari said.
The controversy has once again placed Vijayvargiya, long known for his provocative oratory, at the centre of a storm, with critics accusing him of crossing the line between political rivalry and personal attacks.
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