Women BJP MPs lodge complaint against TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee over his controversial ‘lady killer’ comment against Jyotiraditya Scindia

The controversy began when TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee made personal accusations, including a controversial remark about Jyotiraditya Scindia, calling him a ‘lady killer’.

Women Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs on Wednesday lodged a complaint with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju against TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee for making controversial comments about Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. They also urged Rijiju to take strict measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Earlier in the day, a heated argument in Parliament between BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia and TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee during a discussion on the Disaster Management Bill led to chaos in the Lok Sabha and forced a 30-minute adjournment. The controversy began when Banerjee made personal accusations, including a controversial remark about Scindia, calling him a ‘lady killer’.

The TMC MP made the comments during a discussion on amendments to the Disaster Management Act. He accused the central government of non-cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai countered him, and claimed that West Bengal government had hindered vaccine transportation.

Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia supported Rai, saying that India had emerged as a “Vishwa Bandhu” during the pandemic and helped several countries in need. In response, Kalyan Banerjee made personal comments on Scindia, accusing him of being a ‘lady killer’.

Banerjee said, ‘what do you think, just because you look good, just because you are from Scindia family, you are everything? Are you a king?’ Scindia objected to these comments on his family, after which speaker Om Birla asked the TMC MP to stick to the topic.

Bur Kalyan Banerjee continued targeting Scindia over his ‘good looks’, saying, ‘you have beauty so you will say whatever you want? What do I do if I am not good looking like you? You are very beautiful, very handsome, you are lady killer, we all know that.’

These comments created massive outroar in the house, with Scindia and other BJP MPs objecting. They immediately demanded Banerjee’s expulsion from the House.

The remarks by the TMC MP have been expunged by Speaker Om Birla. Later the women parliamentarians of BJP lodged a formal complaint against him with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.

Andhra Pradesh BJP President Daggubati Purandeswari criticised Banerjee’s repeated offensive remarks about women parliamentarians. She said, “The repetitive comments that Kalyan Banerjee of TMC has been making against women in Parliament – this is not the first time. He has commented, pointing out to Jyotiraditya Scindia that he is a…”

“Even earlier, he had said there are so many beautiful women in the House, but my attention is not distracted. I think this is very unbecoming of a parliamentarian who hails from a state led by a woman – Mamata Banerjee leads West Bengal – and it is very unbecoming of him to pass such comments on women,” Purandeswari added.

Purandeswari further condemned Banerjee’s behaviour, calling his remarks offensive and disrespectful. She said, “He is repeatedly habituated to making comments like this, which are very offensive to women. The women parliamentarians of the Lok Sabha have met the Speaker and Kiren Rijiju, requesting them to take harsh action against him so that he does not repeat such behaviour. This should also serve as an example to other parliamentarians, emphasising the need to respect women.”

(With inputs from ANI)