Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday, 2 May publicly condemned remarks made by Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Jagdish Vishwakarma against Banaskantha MP Geniben Thakor, calling them "shameful and insulting". The remarks, made at a party event in Banaskantha district, have sharpened the political row over women's representation in Parliament.

What Priyanka Gandhi Said

In a post on social media platform X, Priyanka Gandhi stated, "The statement made by the Gujarat BJP President against senior Congress leader and MP Geetaben Thakor ji is extremely shameful and insulting." She further alleged that the BJP's conduct toward women in public life is contradictory — accusing the party of simultaneously invoking women's empowerment in its political messaging while allowing its leaders to make "indecent comments" against women MPs.

"On the one hand, the BJP government humiliates women in Parliament by making baseless allegations, and on the other hand, its leaders insult women through indecent comments. The BJP always protects such individuals," she wrote. Addressing Thakor directly, Priyanka Gandhi added, "Geniben, I am aware of your struggle and I stand with you. We are all proud of your courage."

The Remarks That Triggered the Row

The controversy originated at the Vijay Vishwas Sammelan held at Chadotar village in Palanpur, Banaskantha district, on Thursday. While addressing BJP workers, Vishwakarma said, "The sisters of Banaskantha will never forget the insult you have inflicted on 70 crore women of the country under the Nari Vandana Act. In the coming days, our mothers and sisters will give a befitting reply to it and snatch your seats from your stronghold and the pallu of your saree."

The reference to a saree's pallu was widely interpreted as a personal slight against Thakor, drawing sharp criticism from opposition leaders. Notably, this is not the first time BJP leaders' remarks at party rallies have drawn accusations of gender insensitivity.

The Women's Reservation Backdrop

The row unfolds against the charged backdrop of the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill, which failed to pass in the Lok Sabha on 17 April. The Bill had been introduced to fast-track the implementation of the 33% women's reservation announced in 2023, with a proposed rollout targeting the 2029 general elections — crucially, without waiting for a fresh census. Its failure has intensified the political debate around women's representation, with both the BJP and Congress seeking to claim the moral high ground on the issue.

Priyanka Gandhi framed Vishwakarma's remarks as emblematic of what she called the BJP's "anti-women" reality, contrasting it with the party's political messaging around Nari Vandan. "This is the true reality of the BJP's political 'Nari Vandan'. It is actually 'anti-women'," she said.

Political Significance

The incident highlights the deepening fault lines over women's political empowerment ahead of 2029. Geniben Thakor, a prominent Adivasi leader from Banaskantha, has been a vocal Congress voice in Parliament. The BJP is yet to issue a formal response to the criticism directed at Vishwakarma's remarks. As the political temperature rises, the episode is likely to reverberate beyond Gujarat, feeding into the national conversation on how women parliamentarians are treated across party lines.