A former BJP MLA in Karnataka has raised a massive controversy over his “one peg” swipe at the state Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar.
Sanjay Patil, the former BJP MLA, at a party workers’ meeting said women’s support for the BJP is rising in Karnataka, which would make Ms Hebbalkar of the Congress worry a lot.
Ms Hebbalkar’s son Mrinal is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Belagavi seat.
“Hebbalkar will not get good sleep looking at the rising support of women for the BJP in Belagavi. It will also be difficult for her to see Ramesh Jarkiholi campaigning there. She has to have a sleeping pill or an extra peg to get a good night’s sleep,” Mr Patil said at the meeting.
Mr Jarkiholi had faced a huge scandal in March 2021 after local news channels aired sexual content on a CD allegedly involving him.
Ms Hebbalkar in a video statement condemned the former BJP MLA’s comments. She questioned whether Mr Patil’s comment is an example of the kind of respect the BJP has for women.
“This shows the respect BJP has towards women. This is the hidden agenda of BJP. It’s not enough if you chant Ram, beti pachao, beti padhao; you must respect women,” Ms Hebbalkar shot back.
“It’s our Hindu culture. The remark of Sanjay Patil, who gives speeches about Hindu culture, is a disrespect not just to me but to all the women of the state and the nation,” she said.
In Belagavi, Mrinal Ravindra Hebbalkar is taking on BJP candidate and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar.
In campaign meetings, his mother reminded the crowd how Mr Shettar had joined Congress when the BJP denied him a ticket in the 2023 assembly elections, only to return to the party a few months later.
“Shettar is from Hubballi and we are from Belagavi. We know the problems here better than any ‘outsider’. Today, BJP people are saying that they vote for Shettar keeping Prime Minister Narendra Modi in mind, but I want to know why he joined Congress and abused the BJP, PM Modi and former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa?” Ms Hebbalkar said on Thursday.
