Blurb
NCP workers staged massive protests across Maharashtra after state Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal called Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar a mute doll.
MUMBAI
Anger boiled over in Maharashtra as Nationalist Congress Party workers staged loud protests against state Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal. The backlash follows a controversial social media post by the Congress calling Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar a “gungi gudiya” or mute doll.
The political storm began after a press conference where an NCP leader shielded Pawar from tough reporter questions. The Congress party used the phrase to mock her silence on key state issues. This sparked instant outrage, leading angry NCP supporters to march toward the Mumbai Congress office to demand a public apology.
Leaders from the ruling alliance heavily criticized the remark. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accused the grand old party of sinking to new lows just to grab media attention. NCP leaders also pointed out that targeting Maharashtra’s first female deputy chief minister is an insult to all women in the state.
Initially, state Congress chief Sapkal defended the comment, comparing it to historical labels once given to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. However, as pressure mounted and protests escalated across major cities, Sapkal walked back his stance. He issued a statement on social media calling the remarks regrettable and blamed them on a communication error.
Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar kept her calm amidst the uproar. She stated that she would give a proper and fitting response at the right time. Meanwhile, police stepped up security around political offices in Mumbai to prevent further clashes as tensions between the rivals remain high.