Nitish Comment Row: NCW Chief, Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi Engage in All-Out Social Media Spat

A verbal dispute erupted between Rekha Sharma, the chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi over Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s comments emphasizing significance of women’s education in population control.

While talking about the importance of education among women in terms of population control, Nitish Kumar gave a controversial description of how an educated woman can stop her husband from exercising restraint during an intercourse.

In a post on Tuesday, the National Commission for Women (NCW) vehemently condemned “the recent statements made by Nitish Kumar in the Vidhan Sabha concerning women’s fertility and education and linking it to the population of the country. Such remarks are not only regressive but also egregiously insensitive to women’s rights and choices. Bihar’s Chief Minister should issue an apology to women across the country for these deeply offensive remarks.

The Commission also demanded an apology from the Bihar Chief Minister. It wrote: “NCW on behalf of every woman in this country demand an immediate and unequivocal apology from CM Nitish Kumar. His crass remarks in the Vidhan Sabha are an affront to the dignity and respect that every woman deserves.”

Later, NCW chief Rekha Sharma tagged Priyanka Gandhi, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Barkha Dutt and AAP’s Atishi, and said “it will be good if the champions of the women’s cause and their friend join in to condemn and demand apology from Nitish Kumar.”

Sharma had also tagged Priyanka Chaturvedi and questioned about her stand on a matter from the past. In the NCW’s chief’s post, she said: “My not so Dear Priyanka ji do you remember how you showed your inability to do anything against a leader who was once upon a time in your party when I showed you all the proofs of his deeds? How unbiased you were..remember?”

After Sharma’s Tweet, it was an all-out war of words with the Shiv Sena MP(Uddhav faction). Replying to Sharma’s Tweet, Chaturvedi wrote: “What stopped you from taking action? In fact I had told you if you have the proof etc there’s nothing much I can do! Did I tie your hands, legs or seal your lips? You were in the position of power to do so! In fact you can still do it, but I know what’s stopping you, your love for your party and its allies. Now that you wish to make it a slugfest, happy to help take it to conclusion!”

Meanwhile, in a letter to Bihar assembly speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary, the National Commission for Women (NCW) said on Wednesday it strongly condemns and protests the use of such derogatory and vulgar statements made by persons holding responsible positions which shows extreme disrespect to women.

“Therefore, in view of the above, I urge for strong action against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his said statement must be expunged from the records,” the NCW said in the letter.