The Rajasthan Sarpanch Snagh has demanded an apology.
The Rajasthan Sarpanch Sangh has demanded an apology from Congress MLA Divya Maderna for misbehaving with a woman sarpanch at an event in Jodhpur on March 16.
A video had gone viral which showed the Congress MLA from Osian in Jodhpur asking the Khetasar sarpanch Chandu Devi to sit on the floor with the audience when she went to sit beside her on the dais. The video has since gone viral and several social media users criticised the Congress MLA.
All people are equal some are more equal - #Congress MLA from Osian #DivyaMaderna tells Khetasar sarpanch - Chandu Devi to get off from the chair next to her and sit on the floor in front of her. @DivyaMaderna@INCIndia pic.twitter.com/5618XErYvD
— Sangeeta Pranvendra (@sangpran) March 18, 2019
Shameful
— Sumit Khanna (@summitkhanna) March 18, 2019
@INCIndia MLA Divya Maderna asks a woman sarpanch to sit on the floor. That when Congress is credited with introducing Panchayati Raj in India. Some grassroots empowerment that is. https://t.co/r64wkXs7fG
— Mahim Pratap Singh (@mayhempsingh) March 18, 2019
Shame on her. I request @RahulGandhi @ashokgehlot51 @SachinPilot to take strongest action against her. @DivyaMaderna has no place in Congress Party if she doesn’t apologise and mend her ways. Shame on her, you are not one of us. Shame on you https://t.co/nUStHGIieU
— Abshar (@Scepticindian) March 18, 2019
1. 'MLA gestured her to go'
The sarpanch’s husband Rooparam told a leading daily: “Chandu initially sat on the floor but then people said she should sit next to the MLA, since she is a sarpanch. So, she then went to sit with the MLA. But the MLA gestured her to go, so she left her chair and sat among the people for the rest of the sabha.”
He said his wife didn’t protest as she was a ‘simple lady’ and didn’t want to disrespect the MLA.
2. Rajasthan Sarpanch Sangh demands apology
Bhanwarlal Janu, the state president of the sarpanch sangh said Maderna should apologise unless she wants to face the ire of sarpanches across Rajasthan.
Maderna however defended her action stating that the sarpanch 'won on a BJP ticket and this was a Congress event'.
3. Who is Maderna?
Maderna is a first-time MLA who defeated BJP’s Bhera Ram Chaudhary in December 2018 assembly polls. This is not her first brush with virality though.
Her father, Mahipal Maderna, once considered a chief ministerial hopeful, been in jail since 2012 after he was accused in the murder of auxiliary nurse Bhanwari Devi.
4. Not the first brush with virality
Earlier, videos had gone viral which showed her scolding cops and government officials.
5. Chandu Devi speaks out