After facing criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party leaders regarding his alleged offensive remark against BJP MP Hema Malini, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala clarified on Thursday that he never intended to insult or harm the actor-politician.
Surjewala’s response came after BJP’s IT department head Amit Malviya shared an undated video on X, accusing the Congress MP of making objectionable remarks about Hema Malini.
“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 asks, ‘Why do we make MLA? So that they can raise their voice, and get our views accepted. Is there any Hema Malini who is made to lick?’ Who thinks of women as something to lick? That is the most disgusting description someone can come up with. Just the other day, Surjewala’s colleague was asking the ‘rate’ of another BJP woman leader, and now this… This is Rahul Gandhi’s Congress. It is misogynistic and abhors women,” Malviya posted on X.
In response, Surjewala stated that the video shared by the BJP leader had been edited and distorted to divert attention from the Modi government’s policies against youth, farmers, and the poor, as well as its alleged efforts to undermine the Indian Constitution.
“BJP’s IT Cell has developed a habit 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 and failures and its conspiracy to destroy the Constitution of India,” he said.
“Listen to the full video – I said, ‘We also respect Hema Malini a lot because she is married to Dharmendra ji and is our daughter-in-law,'” added the Congress leader.
Condemning the BJP-led central government, Surjewala criticized its treatment of women, questioning its silence on derogatory remarks made against women by its own members.
“Neither did I intend to insult Hema Malini ji nor to hurt anyone. That is why I clearly said that we respect Hema Malini ji and she is our daughter-in-law. BJP itself is anti-women, that is why it sees and understands everything through an anti-women lens and spreads lies as per its convenience,” Surjewala added.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla strongly criticized Surjewala for his objectionable statement against Hema Malini, asserting that disrespecting ‘nari shakti’ (women power) is the Congress’s only identity. Poonawalla highlighted the alleged history of the Congress party being against women’s rights, from Uniform Civil Code to Shah Bano to triple talaq.