Cong Ally Jaideep Kawade Held for Remarks Against Smriti Irani

Kawade had remarked that the size of a woman’s bindi, who changes her husband frequently, keeps growing big.

People's Republican Party (PRP) leader Jaideep Kawade was arrested on Wednesday, 3 April, for allegedly making misogynistic remarks against Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani, police said. PRP is an ally of the Indian National Congress party in Maharashtra.

Kawade was later released on bail, police said.

Kawade had made objectionable remarks against Irani while addressing an election rally in Nagpur on Monday, police officials said.

According to a report by India Today, Kawade remarked that the size of a woman’s bindi, who changes her husband frequently, keeps growing big.

“Smriti Irani sits beside Gadkari and talks about changing the Constitution. Let me tell you a thing about Smriti Irani. She wears a big bindi on her forehead and someone told me that when a woman changes her husbands frequently, the size of her bindi keeps growing.”

Kawade on Smriti Irani

A video of his speech had gone viral on social media.

Kawade had made the remarks in the context of Irani wearing a big 'bindi' (a coloured dot) on her forehead.

Election officer Madan Subhedar had lodged a complaint against him.

Kawade Booked Under Four Sections

An offence under IPC sections 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 500 (defamation), 294 (obscene acts and songs) and 171 (G) (false statement in connection with an election), was registered against Kawade at Lakadganj police station.

"As per the complaint, Kawade had addressed a public rally at Kumbhartoli on the evening of 1 April, where he used objectionable remarks against Union minister Smriti Irani," inspector Bhanudas Tidolkar of Lakadganj police station told PTI.

"Based on the complaint, police registered an offence against Kawade and arrested him. He was later on released on bail," he said.

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers had filed a complaint on Tuesday with returning officer of Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency against Kawade.

The PRP is an ally of the Congress in Maharashtra. The party is headed by Dalit leader and MLC Jogendra Kawade, the father of Jaideep.

(With inputs from India Today and PTI)