Mumbai, Apr 22 (PTI) Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Wednesday said the BJP has "no right" to speak on women's reservation and challenged the saffron party to first reject its ideological texts, including the Manusmriti.
Addressing a news conference here, Sapkal said the BJP's ideology is rooted in these texts, which, he claimed, treat women as inferior.
"The party should first burn 'Bunch of Thoughts' and 'Manusmriti' and then speak on women's reservation. If it has the courage, it should appoint a woman as the chief of the RSS," he said.
He further asked the BJP to clarify its stand on women's issues, referring to the treatment meted out to Savitribai Phule when she started the first school for girls. Sapkal alleged that those who opposed her were linked to the same ideological stream the BJP represents.
Sapkal said the women's reservation Bill had already been passed in Parliament in 2023 with support from all parties, and accused the BJP of using the issue for political gains.
Referring to the defeat of the constitutional amendment bill in the Lok Sabha last week, the Congress leader said the proposed legislation was related to delimitation.
He alleged that the BJP was attempting to alter India's structure and "turn Mumbai and Maharashtra into a 'gaay-patta' (cow belt)".
The Congress leader said his party had historically taken the lead on women's empowerment by introducing 33 per cent reservation for women in local bodies, later increasing it to 50 per cent.
Sapkal also alleged that BJP workers had threatened journalists who filmed a viral video of a woman confronting BJP minister Girish Mahajan during a BJP march in Worli over the women's reservation issue.
"After facing embarrassment, BJP workers are now threatening journalists who covered the protest. Neither Congress nor journalists should be intimidated by such threats," he said.
Sapkal claimed that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's remarks were being misrepresented.
Kharge for his “terrorist” remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BJP has accused Kharge of calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "terrorist" while addressing a press conference in poll-bound Tamil Nadu.
Sapkal said while the BJP has reportedly complained to the Election Commission over Kharge's remarks, the poll body should also take note of alleged actions by the BJP during elections in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam.