RJD leader under fire for remarks on women’s reservation Bill

At the programme, Mr. Siddiqui demanded reservation for women from backward and extremely backward communities. ‘If women with bob-cut hair, lipstick, and [talcum] powder go to Parliament, then your women will not get their rights. Give reservation to backward and extremely backward women,’ he said.

Senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui’s has triggered controversy in Bihar by stating that “women with lipstick and bob-cut hair” alone should not benefit from the women’s reservation Bill passed during the Special Session of the Parliament recently. He later expressed regret for his comment.

Mr. Siddiqui made his remarks in Muzaffarpur district on Friday while addressing a public meeting organised by the party’s Extremely Backward Cell.

At the programme, Mr. Siddiqui demanded reservation for women from backward and extremely backward communities. “If women with bob-cut hair, lipstick, and [talcum] powder go to Parliament, then your women will not get their rights. Give reservation to backward and extremely backward women. There should be a fixed quota for the extremely backward [women] also,“ Mr. Siddiqui said.

A video of his speech surfaced on social media on Saturday. Women MLAs and other leaders have slammed Mr. Siddiqui’s remarks and have demanded an apology.

The women’s reservation Bill, also known as Nari Shakti Vandan Abhiniyam, has been approved by President Draupadi Murmu and has become a law.

This is not the first time Mr. Siddiqui has made controversial statements. On December 22 last year, he had said that he does not feel safe in the country, and has advised his children to get citizenship abroad. BJP leaders of Bihar had termed this statement as “anti-national” and advised him to go to Pakistan.

Reacting to the latest controversy, BJP MLA Shreyasi Singh said people like Mr. Siddiqui do not want women to improve their lives and so indulge in such “low politics”.