New Delhi: Year 2019 was full of political slugfests and leaders from all political parties left no stones unturned to attack their opponents and lure voters' confidence. However, unable to hold their horse, these politicians at several instances ended up creating a stir with their bold and often ill-thought utterances.

For the uninitiated, our politicians are known for making absurd misogynistic, sexist, racist comments and even this year they have made news, leaving us often confused whether to doubt their sanity or laugh at their naivety. Here, we look back on the most controversial statements made by our leaders in 2019, all of which are sure to reverberate into the new year.

Rahul Gandhi (Congress)

Former Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stroked a controversial, earlier this month, stroked a big controversy when he mocked RSS ideologue VD Savarkarthat and said that he would not apologise for his rape remak as his name is Rahul Gandhi not Rahul Savarkar. Addressing the 'Bharat Bachao' rally here at Ramlila ground in New Delhi, Rahul Gandhi said, "Yesterday in Parliament, the BJP people asked me to apologise. But I want to tell them that I am not Rahul Savarkar, I won't apologise. I won't apologise for speaking the truth."

Gandhi's controversial remarks on Vinayak Damodar alias Veer Savarkar escalated into a big controversy, earning the ire of friends and foes alike Slamming Gandhi, Ranjit Savarkar, the grandson of Veer Savarkar, said: "Thank God his name is not Rahul Savarkar, or else we would have had to blacken our own faces."

Several leaders of BJP and even its former ally Shiv Sena slammed Gandhi for his statement and demanded apology.  BJP members raised slogans in the Parliament demanding that Gandhi should say sorry for his controversial remarks.

Pragya Thakur (BJP)

Controversies and Bhopal BJP MP Pragya Thakur go hand in hand. If there is one political leader who has managed to rise from bushes using controversies and not enough work as a lawmaker, it is none other than Thakur. Though out the year, the Malegaon blast accused, who  became an MP after defeating Congress' Digvijay Singh in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, has been in the news for making several provocative statements.

Out of many, Thakur had in August blamed the black magic by the opposition for premature death of the BJP leaders. At a meeting to pay tribute to former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and former MP Chief Minister Babu Lal Gaur, Pragya said, "During the Lok Sabha elections, a saint told me don't stop but increase your sadhna (spiritual practice), because it's hard time and the opposition is using 'deadly powers' against the BJP".

Pragya said, "I heard him and forgot it. Now I am seeing our top leaders -- first Sushma Swaraj then Babu Lal Gaur and now Jaitleyji -- dying. Is it because of that 'deadly power'? It is a question. But our leadership is dying prematurely".

Yogi Adityanath (BJP)

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath stoked controversy in April, dubbing the Muslim League a “green virus” and suggesting that Hindu and Muslim voters are in an “Ali-Bajrang Bali” contest.

Attacking Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati for recently appealing to Muslims to vote for the opposition alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath said now the Hindus have “no option” but to vote for the BJP.

“Agar Congress, SP, BSP ko Ali par vishwaas hai, toh humein bhi Bajrang Bali par vishwaas hai (If the Congress, the SP and the BSP have faith in Ali, then we too have faith in Bajrang Bali),” the BJP leader said at a Lok Sabha election meeting in Meerut.

Azam Khan (Samajwadi Party)

Samajwadi Party's controversial leader Azam Khan stroked a massive controversy for making derogatory remarks against BJP leader Jaya Prada during Lok Sabha Election campaigning in April.

Khan, who was contesting the ongoing Lok Sabha polls from Uttar Pradesh's Rampur constituency, had said during a rally on Sunday that he "realised in 17 days that the underwear beneath is of the khaki colour", while hinting at Jaya Prada, an actor-turned-politician and a two-time Member of Parliament (MP) from Rampur.

Farooq Abdullah (National Conference)

National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah, who is currently under protective detention in Kashmir, stirred a hornet's nest in April when he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being behind the Pulwama attack as he was desperate to win elections.

"Modi orchestrated Pulwama attack to win elections," Abdullah had said claiming that the murderers of Mahatma Gandhi are now in power in Delhi.