Mahua Moitra hits back at Smriti Irani on 'flying kiss' row; "What About Your MP?"

New Delhi: Mahua Moitra, a member of the Trinamool Congress, today criticised Smriti Irani, a Union Minister, for speaking "about some flying kiss" but remaining silent when a BJP MP was accused of sexual harassment by wrestlers.

The comment made reference to Ms Irani bringing up the subject of Rahul Gandhi's alleged flying kiss in Parliament following his remarks during yesterday's no-confidence vote. The minister had expressed shock and claimed that such an "indecent act" had never been seen in the House, NDTV reported.

Additionally, women BJP MPs called for action and protested to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that Mr Gandhi had insulted women with his "indecent gesture".

Without mentioning the departing Wrestling Federation of India president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by name, Ms Moitra said to reporters, "When a BJP MP was accused of harassment and molestation by our champion wrestlers, we did not hear one word out of the Women and Child Development minister and now she is talking about some flying kiss. Where are your priorities, madam?"

Ms Irani had said yesterday, "Never before has the misogynistic behaviour of a man been so visible in parliament. When the House of the people - where laws are made to protect the dignity of women - during the course of a session stands witness to a man's misogyny, my question is should he be brought to task?"

The Congress had countered that Mr Gandhi was gesturing towards slogan-shouting BJP MPs. "Rahul Gandhi gestured towards the treasury benches as he was leaving with a flying kiss as he had called them brothers and sisters. He did not direct it towards any particular minister or MP, and not at all towards Smriti Irani," a Congress leader said.