Union Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday hit back at Youth Congress President Srinivas BV over his derogatory comments against the BJP leader at the Sankalp Satyagraha in Delhi.
Srinivas referred to Irani as a "daayan" (witch) for which he received backlash from the political fraternity barring his own party.
The Sankalp Satyagraha was organised by the Congress at Rajghat to voice their displeasure and anger at the Centre and PM Narendra Modi over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as an MP of the Lok Sabha.
Reacting to his remarks, Irani said Srinivas is not the first Youth Congress president who has made "indecent comments" against her.
"I know what he said. The words that he used are of Rahul Gandhi, sanskar (teachings) of Sonia Gandhi. Only the voice is of the Youth Congress," Irani charged.
"And so long as these two (Gandhis) are there, the Congress leaders who want promotion will continue to make such comments against me," she added.
'Cesspool of misogyny'
The BJP on Monday had slammed Srinivas over his alleged disparaging remarks, saying the Congress has become a "cesspool of misogyny".
The BJP used a video clip to target the Congress and Srinivas on the issue, while also recalling similar instances where the grand-old party leader made alleged "sexist" remarks.
"The Congress has become a cesspool of misogyny, hatred for women especially if she comes from a humble background & defeats an entitled dynast," BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla tweeted.
In the clip of his speech delivered in Hindi, Srinivas can be heard saying, "The BJP means inflation. These same people in 2014 used to say that there is inflation witch which has been made to sit... Smriti Irani has become a little mute and deaf. That witch (Daayan)... Inflation witch (Mehengaai Daayan) has been made a darling and made to sit in the bedroom."
Youth Congress defends Srinivas speech
Reacting to the charge, the Youth Congress on Monday alleged that the BJP leaders were sharing a doctored video of Srinivas's speech to tarnish his and the party's image.
"It is nothing but a disinformation and fake news campaign initiated by BJP supporters and office bearers," the Congress's youth wing said in a statement.
"... The said speech by the IYC President was made in context to the various statements made by the BJP leaders in regard to the Inflation and price rise when the UPA was in power, 'Mehangai' was then often quoted as 'Dayan' by opposition leaders of BJP," it said. (With PTI inputs)
