Petition filed against union coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal over sexist remarks

LUCKNOW: Though the union coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal may have apologised for his remarks about "old wives loosing their charm", a petition has been moved in the Kanpur local court for registering a criminal case against the minister for his derogatory remarks.

The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, VK Pandey has ordered recording the statement of petitioner Anita Dua who runs an NGO Lakshya, on October 8.

She has appealed for filing a case against Jaiswal under Section 294 (Obscene acts and songs) and Section 500 of IPC (Punishment for defamation). The court would decide on the course of action after the petitioner's statement is recorded.

Jaiswal was addressing a "Kavi Sammelan" on Sunday night when the news of India's victory in over Pakistan in the ICC World Twenty-20 match came through. As many people celebrated the victory, Jaiswal remarked "a new victory and new marriage have their own importance... there is no charm in an old victory or an old wife".

With his remarks being castigated by women groups and opposition leaders across the country, he later said that his statement was misconstrued and apologised for hurting anybody's sentiments.