Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Tuesday, 14 March, said he could not appear before the Telangana State Commission for Women on Wednesday, as instructed by it, because his presence as an MP was required during the ongoing budget session of Parliament in New Delhi.
In a letter to the commission’s secretary, Sanjay said it would not be possible for him to appear before the panel at 11 am on Wednesday.
“I will appear before the commission on 18 March at any convenient time of the commission,” he said.
Bandi Sanjay also requested the commission to provide the necessary material leading to his appearance before it, prior to the date of his appearance so that he will be in a better position to give his explanation, if any.
Also read: Women’s Commission seeks probe into Sanjay’s comment on Kavitha
Row over remarks
The commission asked Bandi Sanjay to appear before it for his remarks about BRS MLC K Kavitha — daughter of Telangana Chief Minister and BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao — a few days ago while referring to her alleged involvement in the Delhi liquor scam.
Meanwhile, BJP Mahila Morcha state president Geetha Murthy lodged a complaint with the commission against Nakrekal’s BRS MLA Chirumarthi Lingaiah for making allegedly derogatory comments on women and statements promoting hatred and rancour between BJP and BRS activists in the state.
She said the BRS MLA’s comments were made deliberately to denigrate the wives of the party leaders, in particular, and perhaps women at large in the state.
“Women are highly respected and revered in Indian culture, and dragging women to avenge a political rivalry is a cheap and inhuman act that too for a public representative holding an MLA position in the state,” Geetha Murthy said.
“I am deeply shocked after watching the obnoxious videos, which were made with the ulterior motive to tarnish and ridicule women’s modesty and to promote hatred between BJP and BRS activists, which will also create law and order issues in the state,” she said.
The BRS MLA urged appropriate action against Lingaiah for his remarks on social media. She said exemplary punishment should be meted out to him so that others do not dare resort to such heinous and wicked acts in future.
Also read: RRR wins Oscar; BJP Telangana chief Bandi Sanjay is trolled
‘Not supporting Bandi Sanjay’
The remarks made by Nizamabad BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind, that he would not support the comments made by Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar against the BRS MLC K Kavitha, triggered discussion among the cadre from Sunday night.
In the Congress, where internal bickering comes to the fore openly during meetings as leaders criticise and challenge one another.
However, the situation in the BJP is completely different as the leaders hesitate to make comments against their fellow members openly due to fear of stern action by the central leadership.
Then again, Arvind’s remarks against the state party president left many surprised. The leaders said they never expected Arvind to say that he would not support Sanjay over the latter’s remarks against Kavitha.
He went to the extent of saying that as an individual, MP, and state BJP president, Sanjay should not have spoken like that.
The remarks can be withdrawn, he said. “The state president post in a national party is not a power centre but only a coordination centre,” he explained.
Another BJP leader supported the remarks made by Arvind.
Arvind did what Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, former Telangana president K Laxman, and other leaders could not do, he said.
He added that unilateral decisions, attitude, personal agenda, unnecessary comments, and lack of coordination among other issues were not the culture of the party.
Stating that a use-and-throw policy was also being followed, he said he was ready to prove all these things at the party.
