BJP leaders slam Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari over derogatory remarks against Sita Soren, ask Hemant Soren to sack him

Jamtara (Jharkhand) [India], October 26 : BJP leaders including Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday lashed out at Congress leader Irfan Ansari's "derogatory remarks" against party candidate Sita Soren and demanded that Chief Minister Hemant Soren should remove him from his cabinet.
Chouhan said such remarks were insult to women of Jharkhand.
"Sadly, a minister of Hemant Soren's government Irfan Ansari has made a derogatory statement against Sita Soren...Doesn't he feel ashamed?... She is a very respected leader. Using such derogatory words against her is not only an insult to her but also to the women of Jharkhand. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren should expel him from the ministry," he said.
Sita Soren is BJP candidate from Jamtara assembly constituency against Ansari.
Jharkhand Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Neha Arora on Saturday said that an FIR has been registered against Jharkhand Minister Irfan Ansari for allegedly making derogatory remarks about BJP leader Sita Soren in Jamtara district
"A case of MCC violation has been registered. An FIR has been registered in Jamtara district for violating MCC provisions. Strict advisory has also been issued to all the political parties in this regard," Neha Arora said.
Union Minister Annapurna Devi said the remarks by Irfan Ansari expose the mentality of the Congress. "He (Irfan Ansari) has given a very wrong statement on Sita Soren. This exposes the mentality of the Congress party. The Congress party is anti-women and anti-youth...I condemn this statement...Will Rahul Gandhi take back the tickets given to people with such a low level of thinking? The Congress party should remove such people," Annapurna Devi said.
Sita Soren said the tribal community is angry over Ansari's remarks against her.
"I am unable to understand where he gets the courage to make such statements. Who is giving him the courage to make such statements, because no one has ever made such statements against me in Jharkhand...The party has informed the Election Commission about his statement. We will not forgive him...The entire tribal population is angry," Sita Soren said.
BJP leader Ragini Singh targeted Congress over Ansari's remarks.
"This is his mentality. It is the policy of Congress to comment on a woman but BJP policy is to respect all the women whether they are of Congress or of BJP," Ragini Singh said
Irfan Ansari, the Congress candidate from the Jamtara constituency, stirred controversy with his remarks about Sita Soren, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the same constituency, calling her "rejected...." and a "borrowed player.
Sita Soren posted a video on X about Ansari's remarks
The BJP leader also demanded an apology from Ansari for using "indecent language".
"Congress @INCIndia candidate Irfan Ansari must apologise for the indecent language he used against me in front of the media immediately after filing his nomination. He has previously made personal comments about me, but this time he has crossed all limits. Irfan ji @IrfanAnsariMLA, apologise, or be prepared for fierce opposition," she posted on X.
"The indecent words you used while holding such a respected position have alarmed women across society. If you can use such words for me, what must poor and vulnerable women face? As long as such leaders remain in power, women will remain unsafe. The time has come to remove them from power. The way you look at women is now before the public, and the public will respond," the BJP leader added.
Talking about the upcoming assembly elections, Sita Soren said people were rooting for change.
Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi said that Hemant Soren should remove Ansari from the JMM-led government.
"Women are not safe in this regime. If his minister Ansari can use such derogatory language for women, about the sister-in-law of Hemant Soren and he is still retained as a minister and he remains silent then you can imagine how much Hemant Soren can stoop for the sake of votes," he said. .
Soren is the wife of Durga Soren, the late elder brother of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala reacted to the Congress leader's "rejected goods" jibe at Sita Soren and said this is not the first time Ansari has used such language. "Irfan Ansari has a history of making such remarks, comparing women's cheeks to items in his previous statements. He is a serial offender. Congress has a long-standing tradition of such behaviour," he alleged.
"Congress presents itself as a champion of women's rights with slogans like 'ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon' (I am a girl, I can fight), but its leaders make such statements. Will Priyanka Vadra take a stand by expelling Irfan Ansari from the party?"
He alleged that Congress mindset "is against the interests of Dalits and women". "This is the reality of Congress's core mentality, which is anti-Dalit and anti-women. Congress leaders make offensive remarks not only about women but also about tribals," he alleged.
BJP is contesting Jharkhand assembly elections in alliance with the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), Janata Dal (United), and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). BJP will contest 68 seats, AJSU 10 seats, JD-U two seats, and LJP one seat.