An Uttar Pradesh MLA is in hot waters after he was caught on tape asking a group of woman why the state government should cover the cost of their children’s education since it is the “mother who produces them”.
Reportedly, Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya MLA Ramesh Diwakar made the remark when a group of women approached him regarding waiving their children’s fees in private schools during a public interaction on Sunday.
When the mothers asked the Diwakar to waive the fees, he replied, “You give birth to the children and we should give the money? For what are the government school are there? No fee is charged there.”
The MLA did not stop there. “You come to ask us for money saying make recommendations. The government provides everything, food and clothes,” Diwakar told the mothers present at the interaction.
The statement must have shocked the parents sitting at the interaction. One mother in the audience pointed out to the Diwakar that the public elected him as MLA.
BJP spokesperson Samir Singh told a news agency that the state party leadership is not aware that such an issue took place. “Neither I nor the state party leadership is aware of this issue. However, no one has the right to speak to women in an undignified manner,” Singh said, adding that in case a complaint is filed, there will be a probe into the incident.
The Samajwadi Party also condemned Diwakar’s statement. “The comment of the BJP MLA is unfortunate and condemnable. This the character of the BJP,” party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said, adding that the BJP does not help anyone and humiliate women.
It is shocking that an MLA could make statements like this, especially amid women. However, this is not the first time a BJP MLA has got into trouble for talking to a woman in an undignified manner. In 2019, former BJP MLA Charan Waghmare was arrested for using abusive language against a woman police officer after the two got into an altercation. Even MLAs from other parties have faced action for talking to women in a disrespectful manner.
