
J&K Congress protests against BJP MLA for alleged derogatory remarks on Sonia, Priyanka
Jammu, June 4 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Wednesday staged a protest against a BJP MLA over his alleged derogatory remarks against UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Protesting Congress leaders burnt an effigy of the BJP MLA in protest led by senior women leaders.
According to reports, BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa was caught on camera saying that the two leaders did not know the value of 'sindoor' because they never wore it.
Joined by senior PCC leaders, the protestors raised slogans and demanded that the BJP high command should apologise to CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for the derogatory utterances of the BJP MLA besides taking action against him.
'The remarks are not only outrageous and shameful, but an insult to the dignity of Indian women and an attack on the values that define Indian society,' they said.
Senior Congress leader, Namrta Sharma condemned the remarks and demanded the immediate suspension of the BJP MLA.
She stated, 'Sonia Gandhi lost her husband, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, in service of this nation. The sindoor she wears is not a symbol of tradition alone, but a mark of sacrifice, courage, and devotion to India. Mixing such sacred sentiments with your dirty political agenda reflects the moral bankruptcy of BJP leaders.'
Zahida Khan also condemned the remarks, stating that such language has no place in any civilised society.
PCC working President Raman Bhalla and Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma and Ex MLC Ved Parkash Mahajan led slogans condemning the BJP's "regressive and misogynistic mindset".
They called upon the BJP high command to issue a public apology and take strict action against the leader to prevent further erosion of political discourse.
UNI VBH RN
One attachment
• Scanned by Gmail

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New Indian Express
28 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Road to justice for the Bengaluru XI
To blame any of the victims would be perverse beyond belief, dealing the unkindest of cuts to the families of those who lost their lives. Yet, it is with deepest sadness that it must be recorded that what happened was not the city's 'defect' or a sporting negligence—it was an Indian tragedy. Repeatedly, when crowds gather, for one cause or another, tragedy unfolds; yet, as a collective, we learn nothing. There is no doubt that the events of Wednesday afternoon have shaken Indian society's consciousness, but not so much that it will act as a deterrent. Not so much that there will be any changes of consequence when it comes to developing infrastructure that can safely handle large crowds, spontaneous surges of people or exuberant gatherings. Not thoroughly enough to force people in power to pause and get to the bottom of why something that should never have happened occurred. A probe has been ordered, arrests may be made, officials suspended and monetary compensation promised. This is a templated response. You can transpose the name of the team or sport, the venue, or the occasion with a religious gathering, a clamour to board a train—and the story would remain depressingly the same. They dare not say it aloud, but there will be a few who will look at the episode and think that only 11 people died. In India, it's not a number of fatalities that triggers righteous outrage. In 2005, at least 258 died in Satara, Maharashtra during a pilgrimage. In 2013, more than 115 were killed in a bridge collapse in over the Godavari in Andhra Pradesh. In 2024, the official count in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh was 121; the trigger was a tent collapse. In sports, globally, the numbers are equally terrifying: 300 in Peru at a football game in 1964, 93 in Nepal in 1988, and 126 in Ghana in 2001. In terms of numbers, the Hillsborough tragedy of 1989 where 97 people lost their lives at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest in Sheffield is probably the most high-profile, not least because the victims' families banded together to mount a protracted campaign for justice. It took 27 years for the UK courts to charge those responsible In India, with the judicial system so overburdened that even the simplest of disputes can take decades to resolve, who knows when, if ever, those responsible for the events of Bengaluru 2025 will be brought to book.


Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
Vijay Mallya relates how he told Arun Jaitley he was flying to the UK before he left India
TOI correspondent from London: Fugitive liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya has told a podcast, in a rare interview, that he told the late former finance minister Arun Jaitley that he was about to fly out of India to London before he left for the airport in March 2016. At the time there was supposed to be a CBI lookout circular (LOC) issued against him. Mallya told 'Figuring Out with Raj Shamani' he was not aware of any LOC against him, nor that it had been downgraded by the CBI from detaining him to informing immigration of authorities of his travel plans. He told Shamani that certain TV anchors and the Indian govt want to see him in 'jail clothes, eating jail food' in Tihar and spending the rest of his life behind bars. 'If that is what is inevitable, what options do I have? It might be inevitable, I'm not an astrologer. I will fight my way in court.' He said: 'I told FM Arun Jaitley before leaving for the airport and then I flew from Delhi to London on the way to Geneva for a meeting which was fixed months ago. I told the then finance minister because I went from Parliament to Delhi airport. When this news hit the media, once again, it created a storm. People went running to Mr Jaitley. He denied meeting me. A Congress MP saw us and then said to the media 'No, I saw them together'. Mr Jaitley had to retract his statement and say 'Yes, yes I met him but only while walking — it was a fleeting meeting'.' 'I never said I went to Mr Jaitley's office, sat in front of him, had tea with him. All I said is I told the finance minister while leaving, I'm going to London and going to Geneva for a meeting, please tell the banks to sit across the table and settle with me. How long does this once sentencetake? You see the way he denied it, and then when a Congress MP pointed out his mistake that he saw us, he quickly changed.' He also said he had always planned to go back to India but his Indian passport was revoked. In the four-hour podcast Mallya also said he would be prepared to return to India. 'If I have the assurance of a fair trial and assurance of dignified existence in India, I will think about returning to India seriously. ' He then reminded Shamani of the judgment in the Sanjay Bhandari case which found 'Indian detention conditions a violation of Article 3 of the ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights)', which may mean he could not be extradited now. When asked why he had not gone already as he had lost his extradition battle in the courts, the 69-year-old said: 'My stay in England is fully legitimate. There is more than the particular case you are referring to. There are ongoing proceedings in this country. It's one of the legal battles I am fighting,' he said. This suggests he may have applied for asylum.


Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Functionaries fret as Bawankule welcomes members from oppn parties
Nashik: BJP functionaries keen to contest local body elections have expressed concern over state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday indicating there will be no restrictions on members from opposition parties wanting to cross over. A senior BJP functionary said, "The party president has seemingly ignored protests by Nashik city unit chief Sunil Kedar and Nashik West MLA Seema Hiray on Wednesday regarding UBT's dismissed deputy leader Sudhakar Badgujar's potential inclusion into the party fold. If this is the behaviour, will seniors even consider resistance by our ground workers?" Another BJP functionary, who is an aspirant to the local body poll, was unnerved about similar entries happening in the future. "It is possible that with Badgujar, Ganesh Gite — who contested against BJP candidate and MLA Rahul Dhikale in Nashik East — will also seek entry. Badgujar and Gite will not come alone — and that is the real issue. We will have to compete with these imports and it is unacceptable. We have been striving for the party's development for long years," he said. A possible contender from Nashik East said BJP officials are stating openly that local body election belongs to functionaries and that aspirants will receive backing. He said, "We don't see that happening though. Our leaders may argue that they are undecided whether or not to include rebels from other parties, but will they ever take us grassroot-level workers into confidence while making a decision with such high stakes?" Kedar said Bawankule had sounded out party officebearers. "We took a stand and that was conveyed to party seniors, who will make calculated decisions," he said, adding that, "The very essence of democracy is the head count based on which elections are contested and won. Govt and local bodies can be formed for development of the respective areas of various politicians only if one wins the election. Besides, the party is willing to accept people comfortable with BJP's work culture. " On Thursday, BJP conducted a divisional-level workshop in Nashik. Bawankule said the party was looking forward to more than 100 seats in the 122-member Nashik civic body. He also said the election will be contested as Mahayuti. "Functionaries should not worry about strategies, but focus on work. The party will take care of their political career," he added. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !