MP Randeep Surjewala banned from campaigning for 2 days for sexist comments

Pollster calls Randeep Surjewala’s comments ‘undignified, vulgar and uncivilized’ (File)

New Delhi:

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala has been banned for 48 hours starting from 6 pm today for his remarks against BJP MP and candidate Hema Malini Inside is the campaign for the upcoming election. This is the first campaign ban imposed by a pollster in this Lok Sabha election cycle.

“The committee prohibits him from holding any public meetings, public processions, public meetings, road shows and interviews, making public statements in the media (print, electronic, social media) under Article 324 of the Constitution of India and all other relevant powers.) etc. with 2024 It is related to the 48-hour election starting at 6 pm on Tuesday, April 16, 2020,” the Election Commission said.

Pollsters said they carefully scrutinized the content and claims in Mr Surjewala’s reply to his notice.

“Without prejudice to any order/notice issued or subsequently issued to him regarding MCC irregularities, the Commission hereby strongly condemns the impugned remarks made by him during the election campaign in Haryana and condemns Randeep Surjewala’s Improper conduct,” the poll watchdog said.

Earlier this month, the senior Congress leader received a show-cause notice from the Election Commission for comments he made against BJP’s Mathura MP Hema Malini. The pollster called his comments “undignified, vulgar and uncivilized”.

The committee also alleged that Congress leaders are repeat offenders. The party was asked to set out the steps it had taken to ensure the committee’s recommendations on the honor and dignity of women in public discourse were adhered to.

The BJP accused Surjewala of making “vile, sexist” remarks about Hema Malini and called the Congress “misogynistic”.

Amit Malviya, the party’s IT cell chief, shared an undated video on Actor-politician makes objectionable remarks.

Surjewala hit back, accusing the BJP’s IT wing of “distorting facts and spreading lies”.

Sharing a video from the same event, he wrote: “BJP is anti-women, so it sees everything through the lens of misogyny and spreads lies easily.”

“We respect Hema Malini ji because she is married to Dharmendra ji. She is our bahu,” Mr Surjewala said in a video posted by him.