New Delhi, July 16: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday said Congress president Sonia Gandhi should apologise for Uttar Pradesh party chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s derogatory remarks against Chief Minister Mayawati.
“Merely the Uttar Pradesh Congress chief’s apology will not do. The national leadership of the Congress should tender an apology. If (the) Congress president apologises, her image will get a boost,” BJP deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj told reporters.
Defending her party’s stance, Swaraj said it was “improper and unacceptable” to hurt a woman’s dignity in a political battle.
Joshi was Thursday sent to Moradabad jail on 14 days’ judicial custody on the charge of insulting Mayawati.
Congress general secretary incharge of Uttar Pradesh Digivjay Singh said the party did not agree with Joshi’s remarks, but Swaraj maintained: “Mere dissociation is not sufficient.”
About the attack on Joshi’s house in Lucknow late Wednesday, Swaraj said it was “not clear” who the attackers were and that the party would wait for the outcome of an inquiry Mayawati has ordered.
-Agencies