Political discourse still fails women leaders
In Maharashtra, Congress is facing backlash for its remarks against the Deputy CM
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra sparked controversy after its deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar faced criticism for being referred to as a "dumb doll" by the opposition Congress party. This incident occurred during a press conference in Beed, Marathwada, where Pawar repeatedly referred to her late husband, former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
NCP leader Dhananjay Munde intervened during the conference, preventing journalists from questioning Pawar directly and even escorting her away from the event. The Congress party, which had previously stood against similar criticisms of its own leader, Indira Gandhi, refused to apologize or remove the comment on its official social media platform.
Instead, they challenged Pawar to prove she was not a "dumb doll," offering a list of demands. Pawar's own party leader, Udaykumar Aher, called the comment an insult to the entire Pawar family and appealed to Sharad Pawar, the head of the NCP-SP and in alliance with the Congress, to withdraw an apology or protest the party's involvement.
The incident highlights the deteriorating political discourse in Maharashtra, with leaders from both ruling and opposition parties using derogatory language. A 2020 study by Amnesty International India found that female politicians in India face substantially higher levels of online harassment compared to their counterparts in the U.K. or the U.S. The NCP has now called on Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to comment on whether their party endorses such misogynistic behavior.
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