Daijiworld Media Network – Mysuru (RJP)

Mysuru, Nov 13: BJP leader, Tejaswini Gowda created a stir on Wednesday by claiming that it was women, who ‘compromised on their personnel integrity and satisfied dominant male leaders,’ who prospered in the Congress.

Addressing a public rally held to condemn the increasing number of rapes in the state and the government’s inability to deal with them, Tejaswini targeted minister Umashree in particular, observing that she was relatively new entrant to the Congress unlike former ministers, Motamma or Rani Satish.

“But today she is a minister while Rani Satish, a daughter of a Congress stalwart, has to beg for an assembly ticket and stage a protest in Delhi. In the 2013 assembly elections, the Congress didn’t give a ticket to even 10 women candidates. Only Umashree had it easy and I want to know how this was possible,” she demanded.

Speaking to the media later she said that she had personally experienced harassment while in the Congress. Tejaswini had quit the Congress eight months ago to join the BJP. She said she is even ready for debate on the issue.

‘Umashree should disclose how she was made a minister” Tejaswini asked.

Again in Mandya, she made another contentious remark referring to actress-turned-politician and former Mandya MP, Ramya. “Ramya got a ticket because she is a celebrity and beautiful”

Umashree reacting to the Tejaswini’s remarks said "The remarks are to insult to womanhood. Tejaswini should not make insensitive remarks like this and deter women from entering politics. Women are found in every field including politics. I have been in public life for the past 23 years. I started from grass root level. I was elected by people. Only through hard work I became a minister.”