Why would Rahul Gandhi give flying kiss to old woman like Smriti Irani: Congress MLA

In the midst of the ongoing controversy surrounding Rahul Gandhi’s alleged ‘flying kiss’ gesture in the Parliament, Congress MLA from Bihar Neetu Singh has ignited a fresh row after asking why Rahul Gandhi would give a flying kiss to a 50-year-old woman like Smriti Irani.

In an interview with ABP News which has gone viral on social media, Neetu Singh, a Congress MLA representing the Hisua assembly constituency in Bihar, questioned the rationale behind Rahu Gandhi giving a flying kiss to an ‘old woman’ like Union Minister Smriti Irani when he has no ‘dearth’ of younger girls. Singh claimed that the controversy was drummed up by the BJP to besmirch Gandhi’s image.

“Our leader Rahul Gandhi does not have dearth of girls. If he has to give a flying kiss, he would have given it to a younger woman. Why would he give it to a 50 year ‘budhi’ [old] woman like Smriti Irani? All these allegations against Rahul Gandhi are baseless,” she said.

In response to Neetu Singh’s comments, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) issued a strong rebuke, condemning her statements about Smriti Irani as shameful and misogynistic.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia took to denounce Neetu Singh’s remarks and characterised them as a ‘shameful statement’.

BJP national spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawala, took to Twitter to write, “Anti women Congress can even defend Rahul’s misdemeanours inside the [Parliament] House.”

Smriti Irani accuses Rahul Gandhi of giving ‘flying kiss’ inside Parliament

On Wednesday, Union Minister Smriti Irani expressed her indignation over Rahul Gandhi allegedly blowing a flying kiss in the Lok Sabha. Irani labelled Gandhi as a ‘misogynist’ and expressed astonishment that such an ‘indecent act’ had transpired within the Lok Sabha.

In response to this incident, more than 20 female parliamentarians – all from the BJP – wrote a complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, demanding ‘stringent action’ against the Congress leader.

The complaint alleged that Rahul Gandhi had made an ‘inappropriate gesture’ towards Smriti Irani while she was addressing the House during a debate on the no-confidence motion against the government.

Addressing the matter, Smriti Irani stated, “The person who spoke before me… an indecent gesture was made… only a misogynistic man can give a flying kiss to Parliament which seats female Members of Parliament… such indecent act has not been witnessed by the House ever before. The entire country has seen the culture of the [Gandhi] family.”

As Rahul Gandhi left the House after participating in the debate, he was met with boos from the treasury benches. In response, he turned around and allegedly blew a flying kiss.

While the BJP shared CCTV footage of the incident, it remains uncertain whether Rahul Gandhi did indeed blow the flying kiss within the parliamentary House.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP MP Priyanka Chaturvedi termed the alleged flying kiss as an ‘affectionate gesture’ aimed at the entire Parliament, not just the female members.

“When a BJP MP [Brij Bhushan Singh] was accused of harassment and molestation by our champion wrestlers, we did not hear one word out of the women and child development minister [Irani] and now she is talking about some flying kiss, where are your priorities, madam,” Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said.

“Union WCD minister is very angry. But, I cannot understand where that anger goes away when, just two rows [in Parliament] behind her, a person called Brij Bhushan Singh sits,” Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal said.