"Disgusting thinking of Congress": BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla slams Kantilal Bhuria amid row over remarks

New Delhi [India], May 10 : BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slammed Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh Kantilal Bhuria, saying, the statement "those with two wives will get Rs 2 lakh if his party comes to power", reflects the "disgusting thinking" of the party and is a "guarantee for vote bank".
The BJP leader also accused the Congress of supporting personal laws and polygamy.
"Kantilal Bhuria has opened up all the schemes of Congress. He has shown that the so-called guarantees to respect women were just to see women as objects. It's a guarantee for the 'vote bank', to give them more share if they increase more population... Messaging here is, that the more wives you have, the more money you'll be getting. A few people are being told that we (Congress) will be standing with your personal laws, you do polygamy, we are with you. This is a disgusting thinking of Congress party..."
"Congress never respected the women. When a person like Lal Singh gets a ticket, they remain silent," the BJP leader added.
Congress has named the controversial Choudhary Lal Singh, who had publicly supported the accused in the 2018 gang rape and murder of a minor Bakerwal girl in Kathua, from Udhampur-Doda in the Lok Sabha elections.
Former Union Minister and the Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh Kantilal Bhuria on Thursday stirred controversy by saying those with two wives will get Rs 2 lakh if his party comes to power.
"If Congress comes to power, as our manifesto states, every woman will get Rs 1 lakh in her bank account. Women from each household will receive Rs 1-1 lakh. Those who have two wives will get Rs 2 lakh..." Bhuria said while addressing a poll rally in Ratlam.
The Congress party on April 5 released the manifesto 'Nyay patra' for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The Congress has promised to introduce the 'Mahalaxmi Scheme' in the poll manifesto which will provide Rs 1 lakh annually to the poor to alleviate poverty.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja shared the clip of Bhuria's statement on X and tagged the Election Commission seeking action.
In a post on X, Narendra Saluja wrote, "What an objectionable comment made by Congress's Ratlam candidate Kantilal Bhuria about the head of the country, who represents 140 crore people of the country...Such is the cheap thinking of Congress...Election Commission should take cognizance and take action."
Kantilal Bhuria is contesting on a Congress ticket against BJP's Anita Chauhan, the wife of MP forest minister Nagar Singh Chauhan. The Ratlam constituency will go to polls in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 13.
Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh are underway in four phases. The first phase of voting ended on April 19, followed by the second phase on April 26 and the third phase on May 7.
The final phase for the state is scheduled for May 13, which includes eight constituencies: Dhar, Dewas, Ujjain, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Indore, Khargone, and Khandwa.
The counting of votes will be held on June 4.