Agra (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 30 : Uttar Pradesh Women Commission Chairperson Babita Singh Chauhan on Tuesday condemned an alleged misogynistic remark by All India Imam Association (AIIA) President Maulana Sajid Rashidi against Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav.
She said it was "very unfortunate" that such language was being used against a woman.
Speaking to ANI, Chauhan said, "...It is very unfortunate that such language is being used against a woman. Women are worshipped in India. We are always taught to respect women... I condemn the language used by him...."
The remark in question reportedly criticised Dimple Yadav for not covering her head during her visit to a mosque.
The comment sparked strong political reactions, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari targeting opposition leaders for their silence.
"It is a matter of great sadness that Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are silent on the indecent remarks made by the Maulana against Dimple Yadav due to their vote-bank compulsions," Bhandari said.
He added that women across the country were outraged and were questioning the "double standards" of the INDIA alliance. "Today, women across the country are angry because they are asking questions to the INDI alliance and especially Akhilesh Yadav--if you cannot stand up for the honour of your wife, if you cannot stand up for the honour of women, then how can you protect the daughters in Uttar Pradesh?" he said.
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary also condemned Rashidi's remarks, calling them an attack on a woman's dignity based on communal lines.
"We are raising our voice against the way a woman's dignity was targeted based on communalism. The party may have any ideology, but we must come together for the dignity of women," she told ANI.
She further criticised Akhilesh Yadav for not speaking out in support of his wife. "What is most shameful is that Akhilesh Yadav did not raise his voice in support of his wife for the sake of his politics... The way Sajid Rashidi has spoken against Dimple Yadav is not acceptable... Samajwadi Party's politics of appeasement," she said.
On Monday, NDA MPs also held a protest outside Parliament demanding action against Maulana Sajid Rashidi.
Dimple Yadav, who is also the wife of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, welcomed the protest but said similar outrage was missing during other major incidents.
"It's good that action is being taken now... But it would have been better if similar protests and support had been visible when horrifying incidents like the one in Manipur came to light through footage on social media," she said.
All India Imam Association (AIIA) president Maulana Sajid Rashidi defended his remarks, saying, "As per the Islamic faith, I object to the way she (Dimple Yadav) was sitting inside the mosque. As per the Islamic faith, it is not appropriate to sit like that inside a mosque. She should have learnt from Iqra Hasan how to sit... The Maulana who was present there (SP MP Mohibbullah Nadvi) is no longer a Maulana; he is an MP now. He was not authorised to sit there. He is a Samajwadi Party MP. He is sitting there with joined hands like a slave."