Furore over Sharad Yadav's talks of 'saanvli, south women... their bodies'

Sharad Yadav was at the centre of a controversy over his comments on south Indian women with his detractors on Friday terming it as “sexist’ and “racist” but the Janata Dal-United president remained defiant, saying he was only praising their beauty.

Yadav, a best parliamentarian awardee, said he was only underscoring the social and cultural bias in favour of people with white skin.

“The body of women from south is as good as beautiful they are. They (women) in our region are not that good as those (in south) know dancing,” Yadav had said on Thursday in Rajya Sabha during a debate on insurance bill.

Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress condemned his remarks.

“It is very unfortunate that he made such comments that too while taking part in the debate on insurance bill. It is very sad that he is trying to present women in such a way. It shows sort of racism. This is a misogynist comment, especially his remarks about south Indian women which are very objectionable,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.

Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza said she condemns Yadav’s statement. “I will request all elected representatives to speak about women with dignity and honour and not pass any loose comments,” she said.

Yadav, however, defended his comments.

“I was just praising the figure of women from that part of country. It is due to their dancing skills. We praise beauty of people whether they are men and women. I mentioned about dark complexion because all our gods are dark-skinned but you see our matrimonial and will find how people prefer white skins. I was pointing this out,” he said.

JD-U spokesperson K C Tyagi, though, offered his party’s apology and said if Yadav’s comments hurt any women his party was sorry for it.