BJP disapproves of Ramesh Bidhuri's remarks on Priyanka, Atishi

The BJP on Monday disapproved of its senior leader and Kalkaji candidate Ramesh Bidhuri's controversial remarks on Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, saying gender or family related comments need to be avoided by politicians. Bidhuri on Sunday drew flak for his remarks that he will make roads in Kalkaji which will be like "Priyanka Gandhi's cheeks" and targeting Atishi over dropping her surname.

Even as Bidhuri expressed regret following uproar over his remark against Priyanka Gandhi, the Congress lashed out at him alleging his statement reflected anti- women sentiment of the BJP.

The AAP has also attacked Bidhuri and the BJP over his remark on Sunday in which he said Atishi replaced her surname "Marlena" with "Singh" and went on to add she "changed her father".


On Monday, Delhi BJP media department head Praveen Shankar Kapoor in a statement said that political leaders should refrain from making "personal gender related or family related comments" against others.

He, however, added "Atishi Marlena" while seeking apology from former MP Bidhuri should herself ponder on the issue.

"As an individual or elder, we all respect Atishi Marlena's father but as Marlena is a Chief Minister, the people of Delhi want her to once for all come forward and condemn her father for supporting Afzal Guru or justify her parents' act," Kapoor said in the statement.

Sources in the BJP said that Bidhuri has been asked by the senior leaders to focus on talking about issues and problems of people due to failures of AAP government instead of issuing statements that land him into trouble.

Bidhuri is not new to controversies surrounding his public statements. Last year, he invited widespread condemnation over his outburst against then BSP MP Danish Ali in the Lok Sabha.

The BJP leader had expressed regret for his "objectionable" remarks in a meeting of the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee, after a complaint was filed against him.