Maharashtra BJP chief condemns own leader for bad-mouthing Jayashree Thorat, MVA says ’Ladki Bahin is just a mask’

Tension gripped the Sangamner assembly constituency in Maharashtra after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vasantrao Deshmukh stirred a controversy on Friday. He allegedly made a derogatory remark against Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat’s daughter Jayashree Thorat.

Not only the Opposition (Maha Aghadi Vikas), but also his own party leaders, including the state BJP chief, condemned Deshmukh’s “foul language” against Thorat.

According to reports, Vasantrao Deshmukh, who is a long-time opponent of the Thorats, allegedly made the controversial statement at a programme organised by BJP leader Sujay Vikhe Patil at Sangamner in Ahilyanagar district on Friday.

Who said what?

Deshmukh was quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying, “She [Jayashree Thorat] calls her father and Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat as father of all here. Everyone knows what Jayashree Thorat is.” He added, “…Otherwise, if we enter the election battlefield, your daughter will be able to leave the house.” He reportedly used derogatory language about her while making the remarks.

His statement sparked violence as Congress workers and Thorat supporters protested by tearing down banners of Vikhe Patil. Vehicles belonging to Mahayuti leaders were reportedly set on fire. According to the Hindustan Times, Thorat supporters retaliated by attacking vehicles and attempting to set them ablaze.

Congress workers staged a sit-in protest outside the police station for seven hours until an First Information Report (FIR) was registered. Protests continued into Saturday morning, with demonstrators demanding Deshmukh’s arrest, the Hindustan Times reported.

Jayashree Thorat criticized the statement while speaking with the media. “What have I done that I am being spoken about in such a shameful manner? I have been campaigning for my father by organising youth conclaves in the constituency. Even if people who have spoken about me are opponents, there should be a standard for criticism,” she was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

Meanwhile, the Hindustan Times quoted Thorat as saying, “People did not like the language used by Vasant Deshmukh. It doesn’t suit the political campaign and his age to make such derogatory statements against a girl who is the age of his granddaughter. He is absconding and why haven’t police arrested him? I am strong enough to face such people.”

Jayashree Thorat’s father is seeking re-election from the Sangamner constituency for the ninth time. She is a doctor by profession and has been campaigning for Balasaheb Thorat ahead of the Maharashtra election.

The Maharashtra Congress released a clip of Jayashree Thorat’s interview and posted on X, “How could they not think anything of talking so dirty about a girl of their daughter’s age?…you are an opponent but it is not right for you to stoop to such a low level.”

MVA leaders criticise

Several leaders of the Maha Aghadi Vikas (MVA) – Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP-SP – criticised Vasant Deshmukh for his remarks. Sharing a video of Deshmukh’s comments on ‘X’, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray wrote, “Shameful! This is BJP’s politics.. Should it be accepted?”

Shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi attacked the BJP whole, referring to the Mahayuti government’s ‘Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana‘. She said, “BJP continues to show its absolute pathetic, anti women mindset, ladki behen is just a mask to hide their political opportunism. The words used for Balasaheb Thorat ji’s daughter, Dr. Jayashri, by Sujay Vikhe Patil’s close aide in a rally is downright disgusting and shameful.”

Meanwhile, a rough translation of NCP-SP Supriya Sule post on X read, “…BJP leader Vasant Deshmukh made a very dirty statement about Jayashreetai Thorat, daughter of senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat.” She added, “It is not the culture of Maharashtra to criticise a leader of his daughter’s age in the assembly in such a foul language.”

Sule strongly objected to the remarks and said, “Interestingly, former MP Sujay Vikhe was also present in this meeting. He also indirectly supported this statement…”

BJP assures strict action against Deshmukh

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule too said that the party disapproves of the remark and strict action would be taken against its leader, Deshmukh.

“The police should take appropriate steps. Jayshree is like our daughter even though we have political differences with her father,” he was quoted by PTI as saying, adding that the party will not tolerate such insults and will take action.

He, however, said, “…if someone defames the Vikhe Patil family by taking advantage of this situation and even after Sujay Vikhe apologizes, the Congress or other parties make cowardly attacks on him, this will not be tolerated.”

Bawankule claimed Congress workers took advantage of the situation and attacked Sujay Vikhe Patil, who had nothing to do with the comments.

Vikhe-Patil also condemned Deshmukh’s language, saying, “Vasant Deshmukh was speaking aggressively. I tried to stop him twice. I was speaking on the phone when Vasant Deshmukh made objectionable remarks.”

“I condemn his statement. Police should take action against him and Mahayuti will also take action. But at the same time, police should take action against the people who attacked our cars,” Patil was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying.

According to TV9 Marathi, a case was registered against Vasantrao Deshmukh