Rahul Gandhi 'flying kiss' row: BJP women MPs lodge complaint with speaker; demand action, apology

Women MPs of BJP have filed a complaint with Speaker of the Lok Sabha Om Birla and have demanded action against Rahul Gandhi for allegedly blowing a ‘flying kiss’ in the Parliament that seats female lawmakers.

“By giving a flying kiss to all women members, Rahul Gandhi went away. This is a total misbehaviour of a Member. This is inappropriate and indecent behaviour of a Member,” Union Minister and BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje said.

PHOTO | Union minister Shobha Karandlaje, other women BJP MPs complain to Speaker Om Birla against Rahul Gandhi blowing flying kiss inside Lok Sabha, accuse him of insulting women MPs. pic.twitter.com/qQLajSJrbc

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 9, 2023

“Senior members are telling that this has never happened in the history of Parliament of India… What is this behaviour? What kind of a leader is he? That is why, we have complained to the Speaker to take CCTV footage of it and take action against him. This is what we have demanded,” Karandlaje, accompanied by other BJP women MPs, said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “He gives a flying kiss. What has happened to Rahul Gandhi? So many women are seated there (in the House). He has no manners. It is very painful.”

#WATCH | BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says, “He gives a flying kiss. What has happened to Rahul Gandhi? So many women are seated there (in the House). He has no manners. It is very painful…” https://t.co/IudK9YS0zw pic.twitter.com/Ta3xZq7l9P

— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2023

Following her fierce rebuttal to Rahul Gandhi, Smriti Irani said that such “misogynistic behaviour of a man” is not acceptable in the Parliament.

“Never before has the misogynistic behaviour of a man been so visible in Parliament as what was done by Rahul Gandhi today. When the House of the People, where laws are made to protect the dignity of women, during the course of a session stands witness to a man’s misogyny, my question is should he be brought to task?” she asked.

#WATCH | Union Minister Smriti Irani on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi

“Never before has the misogynistic behaviour of a man been so visible in Parliament as what was done by Rahul Gandhi today. When the House of the People, where laws are made to protect the dignity of women, during… pic.twitter.com/eOsMl3I5zy

— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2023

As Gandhi finished his speech during the no-confidence motion debate on Wednesday and Union Minister Smriti Irani started her statement, the Congress leader allegedly have blown a ‘flying kiss’ in the Lok Sabha.

Irani slammed Gandhi for his inappropriate gesture in the house and said the Congress scion’s action lacked dignity.

Without naming Gandhi, Irani said: “I object to something. The one who was given the chance to speak before me displayed indecency before leaving. It is only a misogynistic man who can give a flying kiss to a Parliament which seats female members of Parliament. Such undignified conduct was never before seen in the Parliament of the country.”

Gandhi was given the first chance to speak in the Lok Sabha during the second day of no-confidence motion debate. Soon after his remarks, the Congress leader left for Rajasthan.