The Election Commission on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to Congress leader Randeep Surjewala for his 'undignified' comments against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Hema Malini.
The apex poll body also asked Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to explain steps taken to ensure compliance with its advisories on upholding women's dignity during campaigning.
This comes days after the BJP accused Surjewala of making "vile, sexist" remarks against its MP, Hema Malini, alleging it shows that the main opposition party is misogynistic and abhors women. BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya shared an 11 second clip on X in which the Congress MP is purportedly making some objectionable remarks about the actor-politician while attacking the ruling party.
Malviya had said, "Congress MP Randeep Surjewala makes a vile sexist comment, that is demeaning and derogatory, not just for Hema Malini, who is an accomplished individual, but women in general." He further stated that this is the most disgusting description someone can come up with. "This is Rahul Gandhi's Congress. It is misogynistic and abhors women," he said, sharing the comments of Surjewala.
Last week, National Commission for Women took suo motu cognisance of Randeep Singh Surjewala's statement on actor and BJP MP Hema Malini. Malini is a BJP Lok Sabha member from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh and is contesting the 2024 general elections from there.
Hitting back at the saffron party, Surjewala said that the saffron party and its IT Cell has a habit of of editing, distorting and spreading fake news so that it can distract the country from the Modi government's anti-youth, anti-farmer, anti-poor policies.
The Congress leader took to X and shared a 28 second clip from the same event, in which he is purportedly heard saying, "We respect Hema Malini ji because she is married to Dharmendra ji, she is our bahu."