The BJP released a video on Saturday showing a Congress worker being molested on stage at a party event in Haryana, where Congress MP Deepender Hooda and other leaders were present. The BJP called out Congress as the "most anti-women party," while Congress MP Kumari Selja condemned the incident and demanded strict action against the culprits.
The controversy arose on the day of Haryana's Assembly elections, as Congress aimed to halt the BJP from winning a third consecutive term.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, sharing the video, criticized Deepender Hooda's silence and alleged that misconduct within Congress has driven away many women leaders. "It’s shameful. In broad daylight, on a Congress platform, a female leader was harassed by party workers. If women aren't safe at Congress events, how can the state's women feel secure?" he said.
Poonawalla further accused Congress of fostering an "anti-women mindset" and questioned Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi's lack of response to the incident. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini echoed the sentiment, accusing Congress of historically disrespecting women, the poor, and Dalits. He assured that strict action would be taken if a formal complaint was received.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Kumari Selja confirmed that she had spoken to the victim, who described being touched and elbowed on stage. Selja called the incident "highly condemnable" and demanded immediate action against the perpetrators.