Rahul Gandhi Flays Manohar Lal Khattar For 'Bring Brides From Kashmir' Joke, Haryana CM Retorts

New Delhi, August 10: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for joking about Kashmiri women after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Manohar Lal Khattar, however, hit back Rahul Gandhi calling him as a "weak, insecure and pathetic man". Khattar has courted controversy with his remarks that "some people are now saying that as Kashmir is open, brides will be brought from there".

"Our minister Dhankhar Ji used to say that we will have to bring daughters-in-law from Bihar if the number of girls reduces and the number of boys increases. Now people say that since Kashmir is open, we can bring girls from there. Jokes apart, if there is a good (sex) ratio, the balance in the society will be set right," the chief minister said in an apparent reference to the scrapping of the special status for Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution. Jammu and Kashmir no Longer a State. 

His remarks drew flak from various quarters, with Rahul Gandhi terming them "despicable". "Haryana CM, Khattar's comment on Kashmiri women is despicable and shows what years of RSS training does to the mind of a weak, insecure and pathetic man. Women are not assets to be owned by men," the Congress leader said in a tweet. FIR Should Be Registered Against Manohar Lal Khattar, Vijay Goel for Sexist Remarks, Acts, Says Delhi Commission for Women.

Rahul Gandhi's tweet:

Reacting to the criticism, Khattar accused the media of "running a misleading and factless campaign" against him and shared on Twitter a full video of the event. "Daughters are our pride. The daughters of entire country are our daughters," the BJP leader tweeted while clarifying his position.

He also attacked Rahul Gandhi and advised him not to react on "distorted news". "Dear @RahulGandhi ji, at least at your level you shouldn't react on distorted news. I'm attaching a video of what I actually said, and in what context - this will give you clarity of mind," he tweeted.

Manohar Lal Khattar's tweet:

"Weak, insecure and pathetic" are adjectives people use for the President of the Congress Party. Manufacturing statements & subsequently destroying their own party does not work in the long term," Khattar said in another tweet.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 10, 2019 07:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).