Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's remarks on women 'shameful': Nirmala Sitharaman

Bhopal: Union Finance Minister and senior BJP leader Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday termed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's remarks on women in the state assembly as "shameful".

Kumar, the longest serving chief minister of the state, while emphasising the importance of education among women to control the population, on Tuesday put forward a vivid description in the state assembly of how an educated woman can restrain her husband during sexual intercourse.

On Wednesday, Kumar had apologised in both houses of the state legislature as well as outside for the remarks.

Replying to a question about the Chief Minister's remarks at a press conference here, Sitharaman said the "cheap" language used by the Bihar Chief Minister reflects of "the mindset of INDIA alliance" as they see women just as a vote bank and nothing else.

"Shameful statement... a senior politician who is the Chief Minister of a state has used cheap words in the state assembly and that too in context of women education and women's health," she said.

While Kumar has apologised for the statement, Sitharaman mentioned that to say such things in the assembly is shameful.

She also questioned the Congress, a constituent of INDI alliance, saying no senior leader from the "first family" has criticised the Chief Minister's statement.

To a question related to Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, the Union Finance Minister said she was given an opportunity to present her case in the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha, but "did she avail the opportunity?".

She said the allegations on Moitra concerns the parliamentary system.

Sitharaman also dismissed the contention by certain people that there is a dictatoriship in the country, and wondered if people get opportunity to present their sides in a dictatorship.