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He said that the media only shows Aishwarya Rai dancing, instead of focusing on the real issues of the country.
NEW DELHI: Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has come under fire from the BJP and other quarters for his repeated remarks on Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is also the daughter-in-law of Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan. The BJP accused Gandhi of demeaning Aishwarya Rai, who is a Kannadiga by origin, and questioned the silence of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on the issue.
Gandhi, who is on a Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Uttar Pradesh, had taken the names of Aishwarya Rai and Amitabh Bachchan while criticising the Ram Mandir ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22. He had said that there was no representation of the OBCs, tribals, or Dalits at the event, and only industrialists and celebrities like Adani, Ambani, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, and Narendra Modi were present. He had also said that the media only shows Aishwarya Rai dancing, instead of focusing on the real issues of the country.
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However, Aishwarya Rai was not present at the Ram Mandir ceremony, and only her husband Abhishek Bachchan and father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan were among the attendees. Mr Gandhi also took the name of Katrina Kaif, another Bollywood actor, in the same context, and asked the crowd if they had seen her at the event.
The BJP slammed Gandhi for his “slurs” against Aishwarya Rai and said that he has a “creepy obsession” with successful and self-made women. The Karnataka BJP also attacked Siddaramaiah for not defending the “Kannada pride” and allowing Gandhi to insult a “fellow Kannadiga”.
Congress Clown Prince @RahulGandhi now has a dangerous & creepy obsession with successful & self-made women.
Frustrated by constant rejections by Indians, Rahul Gandhi has sunk to a new low of demeaning India’s Pride Aishwarya Rai.
A fourth-generation dynast, with zero… pic.twitter.com/6TA442wWTZ
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) February 21, 2024
The BJP also asked why the Samajwadi Party, which has an alliance with the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, is not speaking up against the “disrespect” shown to Aishwarya Rai, who is a family member of their MP Jaya Bachchan.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also questioned the silence of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress general secretary, on her brother’s “misogynistic” remarks. He said that Gandhi did not comment on the violence and atrocities against women in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, but made derogatory comments on Aishwarya Rai, who has nothing to do with politics.
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Singer Sona Mohapatra, who is known for her outspoken views on social issues, also reacted strongly to Mr Gandhi’s comments, and called them “demeaning” and “cheap”. She said that Mr Gandhi should focus on his work and vision, instead of trying to get some “brownie points” by targeting Aishwarya Rai. She also said that Aishwarya Rai is an icon and a role model for many women and deserves respect and admiration.
