After wink and hug, controversy ignited by Rahul’s flying kiss in Lok Sabha

Smriti Irani said, "only a misogynistic man can gesture a flying kiss to female parliamentarians".

New Delhi: After wink and hug controversy in 2018, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday once again landed in another controversy over his alleged gesture of flying kiss while leaving from the Lok Sabha.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday without naming Rahul Gandhi alleged that he misbehaved and “only a misogynistic man can gesture a flying kiss to female parliamentarians.”

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Speaking in the House, Irani said, “I object to something. The one who was given the chance to speak before me displayed indecency before leaving. It is only a misogynistic man who can give a flying kiss to a Parliament which seats female members of Parliament. It shows the khandan (family) he comes from, and what his family and party feel about women.”

“Such undignified conduct was never before seen in the Parliament of the country,” Irani added. Her remarks came after Rahul Gandhi spoke in favour of the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha. After speaking on the no-trust motion, the Congress leader left the House and it is then he is said to have allegedly shared a flying kiss.

Rahul Gandhi’s membership was reinstated on Monday by the Lok Sabha Secretariat following a stay on his conviction in the 2019 Modi surname remarks defamation case.

He was disqualified as MP on March 24 this year, a day after the Surat court convicted him in the defamation case. In 2018, during the no-confidence motion against the BJP government, Rahul Gandhi winked. He then went on to hug Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his seat.