NCW chief, Priyanka Chaturvedi spar on X over Bihar CM’s remarks on women

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s remarks on the role of women’s education in population control has not only triggered a massive row but also a verbal slugfest between Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi and National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma.

While condemning Kumar’s remarks, Sharma urged women leaders like Chaturvedi and Aam Aadmi Party’s Aatishi, calling them the “champions of women’s cause” to follow suit, the Sena leader lashed out at her saying she herself should do her job properly first.

Kumar, while emphasising the importance of education among women to control the population, put forward a vivid description in the state assembly of how an educated woman can restrain her husband during sexual intercourse. “The husband's acts led to more births. However, with education, a woman knows how to restrain him... this is the reason the numbers (of births) are coming down," Kumar said in a rustic style.

‘Champions of women’s cause must condemn Kumar’s remarks’

Condemning the remarks on X, the NCW chief said Kumar’s words reflected the “horror” the “state must be enduring under his leadership” and that he must tender an “immediate and unequivocal apology” for the same.

“On behalf of every woman in this country, as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, I demand an immediate and unequivocal apology from the Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar. His crass remarks in the Vidhan Sabha are an affront to the dignity and respect that every woman deserves. Such derogatory and cheap language used during his speech is a dark stain on our society. If a leader can make such comments so openly in a democracy, one can only imagine the horror the state must be enduring under his leadership. We stand firm against such behavior and call for accountability,” she posted on X on Tuesday (November 7).

She also urged INDIA bloc leaders like Chaturvedi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Atishi to condemn Kumar’s remarks and ask for an apology.

“It will be good if the champions of the women's cause @priyankac19 @priyankagandhi @BDUTT @AtishiAAP and their friend join in to condemn and demand apology from @NitishKumar,” she wrote.

In a tart reply, Chaturvedi said while she condemns derogatory language against women, she also thinks the NCW chief has failed to dispense her duties at required occasions when it came to standing up for women.

Chaturvedi slams NCW chief

“My dear biased, politically motivated Madam, I do unequivocally condemn any language used for women which is derogatory-irrespective of my politics, even if it comes from an ally. I am also certain that Chief Minister will revisit his usage of words and apologise. Unfortunately as far as I recall, whenever we expected you to stand up for women, you chose selective silence and selectively action- doing a huge disservice to your chair as NCW which is supposedly non partisan,” Chaturvedi posted on X.

Sharma responded to Chaturvedi’s post accusing her of being biased against a particular leader in the past.

“My not so Dear Priyanka ji do you remember how you showed your inability to do anything against a leader who was once upon a time in your party when I showed you all the proofs of his deeds? How unbiased you were…remember?” she said.

Tejashwi defends CM

On Tuesday, the massive outrage over the Bihar chief minister’s remarks also prompted his deputy Tejashwi Yadav to defend him.

“There was nothing objectionable. These things are taught to children in schools as part of sex education,” he said.

The BJP on the other hand demanded Kumar’s resignation calling his remarks "most misogynistic, vulgar and patriarchal".

Union Minister and a senior BJP leader from Bihar Ashwini Kumar Choubey said Kumar has tarnished the dignity and decorum of democracy with his remarks. "It is very shameful to make such a statement in the Assembly. It seems he is mentally ill," Choubey said, adding, "He should resign and immediately consult a doctor."

Lashing out at Kumar for his remarks, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, "The language used by Nitish Kumar inside the assembly is most vulgar, indecent, most misogynistic, sexist and patriarchal." "This is the mindset of the chief minister of Bihar... Kumar has become a bekabu babu from shushan babu. Imagine what will be the plight of women of Bihar if such a language is spoken in the Bihar assembly," he added.

Poonawalla demanded that the chief minister step down.

"Nitish Kumar has no moral authority to continue as chief minister after insulting 40 per cent of the population of the county. If he has any integrity, he must step down,” he said, adding that women of this country will never forgive Kumar after his remarks.

"Kumar’s most despicable, disgusting, atrocious, obnoxious and anti-women comments only show the impact of the influence of the RJD on him," he charged.

(With inputs from agencies)