Mulayam's remarks not expected from a senior leader: Congress

Congress today disapproved of the comments of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav about women and said this is not expected from such a senior leader.

"Such statements are not expected from a senior leader," AICC general secretary in-charge of UP Digvijay Singh told reporters.

He asked why did the SP leader field his daughter-in-law as a poll candidate when he has "such (anti-women) feelings". 

Party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said "when you become senior in politics you should choose your words carefully...if
you cannot do anything for women at least do not make fun of
them."

Addressing SP workers at a function to mark Ram Manohar Lohia's birth centenary in Lucknow yesterday, Yadav had said
"I don't like to say this, but they (those elected due to
women's quota) would be the women at whom youths would
whistle."

Another Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said that "it was an immature statement on the part of a mature leader". 

Noting that it was a very "sad comment" by a senior leader of the country, Ahmed said that women are competing and performing in every walk of life. 

"The comment is all the more surprising as the president of the country, the Chairperson of the UPA, the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha and the Leader of Opposition are all women," he said.

The spokesman said even the chief minister of the largest state of the country (Uttar Pradesh) from where Mulayam Singh Yadav hails is also a woman.