Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar said she will provide a fitting reply after the Indian National Congress called her a "gungi gudiya" (mute doll) [1].
The incident highlights escalating tensions between the state's ruling coalition and the opposition, specifically regarding the language used to target female political leaders in Maharashtra.
The Congress party posted the derogatory remark on the social media platform X [1]. Pawar said she would address the matter at the appropriate time [1].
"I will give a fitting reply at the right time," Pawar said [1].
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) criticized the Congress party for the remark. The NCP said the language was an attack on the dignity of women in leadership roles and suggested it mirrored past political insults [2].
An NCP spokesperson questioned whether the opposition had endorsed a specific type of derogatory language used in the past. "Has the Opposition now endorsed the infamous jibe once used against former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi?" the spokesperson said [2].
The political row began on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2024 [1]. The NCP continues to criticize the Congress for the barb, asserting that such rhetoric is unacceptable in a democratic discourse [2].
“"I will give a fitting reply at the right time."”
This exchange reflects a deepening rift in Maharashtra's political landscape, where personal attacks are increasingly replacing policy debates. By linking the 'mute doll' comment to historical jibes against Indira Gandhi, the NCP is attempting to frame the Congress party as hypocritical and sexist, potentially aiming to consolidate female voters ahead of future electoral contests.
