Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has made it a habit in recent years to campaign in schools and colleges to reach out to young voters. In the ongoing campaign for Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Rahul has visited educational institutions in the two states and held informal interactions with students.
Now, a former Lok Sabha MP, who was affiliated to the Left Democratic Front, has landed in a soup for making derogatory remarks about Rahul Gandhi's visits to educational institutions.
Joice George had won from the Idukki Lok Sabha constituency in 2014, with support from the CPI. George lost his bid for re-election in 2019.
Speaking at an election event for serving LDF minister M.M. Mani in Udumbanchola on Monday, George warned that girls should be wary of Rahul Gandhi.
George claimed, "Rahul Gandhi only goes to colleges where there are girls only. After he goes there, he teaches them to stand erect and bend down. My dear children, don't bend before him; he is not married... he goes around holding such programmes."
George appeared to be referring to Rahul Gandhi's visit to the St Teresa's College, a girls-only institution, in Kochi last week. At the college, Rahul taught some moves of the Japanese martial art of Aikido. Rahul, who is a trained exponent of Aikido, taught the moves after a student requested him to do so.
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Earlier this month, Rahul engaged in push-ups and also showed his Aikido skills while interacting with students at the St. Joseph's Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu.
Leader of the opposition in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala slammed Joice George and demanded legal action against him. Chennithala tweeted, “Came across a crass video where sexist comments were made by an ex MP of LDF. That shows how desperate and frustrated CPM is. A case should be registered against Joice George and he be arrested for outraging the modesty of young girls.”
Rahul Gandhi has faced sexist and misogynistic taunts in the past. In July 2018, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey claimed BJP MPs wouldn't hug Gandhi as "Section 377 hasn't been scrapped as yet". "Why should we [BJP MPs] hug him? Section 377 hasn't been scrapped as yet. And our wives will also give divorce to us. If Rahul Gandhi gets married, then we will hug him," he said.
