Rahul Gandhi’s ‘flying kiss’ triggers row, BJP calls it ‘misogynistic behaviour’, Congress says ‘side-tracking strategy’

The complaint to Speaker Om Birla was signed by more than 20 women parliamentarians, including Karandlaje and Union minister Darshana Jardosh.

“While Pradhan Mantri ji treated the Parliament House like a temple, he [Gandhi] behaved like this. He did not want to listen to anyone…he said what he had to say. He was leaving, he showed the victory sign and blew a flying kiss,” Jardosh said.

Sources in the Lok Sabha secretariat said the videos from Sansad TV were not clear but the matter would be looked into.

“We demand stringent action against such behaviour by the member which has not only insulted the dignity of the women members in the House but has also brought disrepute and lowered the dignity of this august House,” the women MPs said in their complaint against the Wayanad MP.

Irani, who spoke after Gandhi, mentioned the alleged gesture in her speech. She said that never before had such “misogynistic behaviour” been visible in Parliament. Taking a swipe at the Gandhi family, she further said that it showed the value system of the family he came from.

Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, Irani said: “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 an indecent act has not been witnessed by the House ever before. The entire country has seen the culture of the (Gandhi) family.”

Women MPs from the Congress, meanwhile, defended Gandhi and questioned Irani’s silence on Manipur despite being the women and child development minister.

Congress MP Geeta Koda said that the BJP had a habit of distorting issues to divert people’s attention and defended Gandhi, saying that he could never be insulting to women.

“It is sad and unfortunate that she did not utter a single word even after seeing the video of women being paraded naked. We all have a responsibility to raise the issues of women but the minister did not say anything,” Congress MP S Jothimani said.