Calls grow for apology over 'ripped jeans'

The Congress party has threatened street protests and made a sharp attack on Uttarakhand chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat after he raged at women's clothing at an event in Dehradun.

New Delhi: The Congress Party has demanded an apology from Tirath Singh Rawat, the newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Uttarakhand for his controversial statements.

While addressing the media, Congress leader Alka Lamba said, "This all was being started when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called the late Sunanda Pushkar a '50 crore Girlfriend'. This must have been stopped there only if PM had apologized at the same time. After this, Mohan Bhagwat had made a remark that women should only be a homemaker, while men should protect these women. While Haryana CM had said to the women that if they want freedom then they should roam around without wearing clothes."

She asserted that India is a country that had a woman Prime Minister, which had given equal rights of votes to the women and now such statements are being given by the ruling party members against women.

She demanded that "Either Tirath Singh Rawat apologize by holding his ears and doing situps, otherwise PM Modi remove him from his post. If this is not being done, the ongoing stir is not going to be stopped."

Uttrakhand CM made the controversial remark while addressing a child substance abuse workshop in the state. He described the attire of a woman in detail who sat next to him in a flight. Rawat said: “You run an NGO, wear jeans ripped at the knees, move about in society, children are with you, what values you will teach?”

Attacking the BJP leader, Alka Lamba said, "It is surprising that being a father of a daughter, Tirath Singh Rawat is having such kind of mindset. Today, the reason behind an increase in rape cases is the conservative mindset of people holding constitutional positions."

She added, "Congress party condemns this statement and we demand that if strict action cannot be taken against him then we, the women of this country, will come on the streets to protest against each and every leader of BJP who believes in such things."

Lamba also slammed Union Minister Smriti Irani who was speaking today in the Parliament, saying, "We were hoping that she might condemn the statement of Uttarakhand CM. But no, she preferred to remain quiet just like she did after Hathras and Unnao incident. We are warning that the Indian National Congress will not tolerate any such statements against the women of our country."