The Election Commission, on Tuesday, issued a show-cause notice to the Congress over the alleged undignified remarks against actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Hema Malini by party leader Randeep Surjewala in a video.
The EC sent a show-cause notice to Surjewala and also sought a response from Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on the steps taken to ensure strict compliance with its advisories on upholding the honour and dignity of women during public discourse by its leaders.
The EC said the remarks by Surjewala are "undignified, vulgar and uncivilised" and added that they have caused "great insult" to Malini and disrespect to her position as a member of Parliament.
The poll body said the remarks also caused "damage to honour and dignity of women legislators, across political formations, of women in public life and of all women in general."
“It is unfortunate that despite the Commission bringing it to the notice of the party at your level, the campaigners of Indian National Congress are still indulging in utterances that are repugnant to the honour and dignity of women,” the EC notice to Kharge read.
Both the leaders have been directed to submit their responses to the poll body. While Surjewala has been asked to respond by Thursday evening, Kharge has been given time till the following evening.
In the video, which was shared by the BJP, the Congress leader was quoted as saying, "Why people elect their MLAs/MPs? So that they (MLAs/MPs) can raise the public's voice. It's not like Hema Malini, who was elected to lick.”
Surjewala had claimed that the undated video was edited and distorted and he never intended to insult or hurt the BJP MP. “Watch the full clip. What I said was that we have great respect for Hema Malini ji, who is married to Dharmendra ji, and, therefore, is our daughter-in-law," he had said.
