‘Unacceptable’: Naveen Patnaik Condemns BJP MLA's Sexist Remark Against BJD Leader

Last Updated:July 04, 2025, 21:56 IST

BJD Chief Naveen Patnaik condemned BJP MLA Santosh Khatua's sexist remarks against BJD's Lekhasri Samantsinghar. Patnaik criticized BJP's silence. Samantsinghar filed a complaint.

Former Odisha chief minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik. (PTI)

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Chief and former Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, on Friday condemned the sexist remarks by BJP MLA Santosh Khatua, targeting the BJD’s Lekhasri Samantsinghar, calling it “extremely unfortunate and utterly unacceptable".

In a long post on X, the BJD boss said, “The derogatory remarks made by BJP MLA Santosh Khatua against a respected BJD woman leader are extremely unfortunate and utterly unacceptable. Attempting to assassinate a woman’s character in public as a political response is a reflection of a perverse mentality and is aimed at suppressing women’s voices. It suggests that all women should remain silent."

Called out senior BJP members for their “profound silence", the former CM said, “Not a single leader has come forward to condemn such reprehensible remarks… the silence clearly reveals the stance of the ruling party in public."

The BJD chief, whose 24-year reign as Chief Minister crashed to a halt last year, after the BJP’s shock election victory, continued his attack on the BJP “for failing to respect women", and said, “Hearing such derogatory words from an elected representative is utterly intolerable and inhumane. It is quite rare for Odisha’s political landscape to stoop to such a shameful level."

BJD leader Lekha Samantsinghar, who left the BJP for the BJD just ahead of this year’s general elections, also hit out on X, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Dear Modiji, please listen to your MLA from Odisha talking about women politicians… After listening to it, let’s see if you still want to speak of ‘naari ka samman’ or Operation Sindoor," she said.

The reference to Operation Sindoor – India’s armed response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack – was particularly fierce. According to media reports, the operation had been named by PM Modi because ‘sindoor’ refers to the vermilion mark Hindu women wear on their forehead after marriage.

Op Sindoor aimed to avenge the honour of women who lost their husbands in Pahalgam, many of whom were targeted by terrorists due to their religious identity.

Samantsinghar also said the BJP’s attitude towards women had led to an increase in levels of violent crime in the state. “Your promise for women will sound hollow if you fail to take action against such misogynistic elected representatives," she said.

While talking to X, BJD leader Samantsinghar condemned Khatua’s remark, saying that the Constitution has enough provisions to safeguard the dignity and respect of women. “BJP is misogynistic, anti-women and does not want women to have an equal place in society. We condemn this and will take all steps to restore women’s dignity in the workplace. BJD has always been fighting for equal opportunities, safety and security for women. Calling names to any woman is highly condemnable, and we are taking this forward," she added.

Kathua has not yet responded to criticism from the BJD leaders.

Samantasinghar also filed a police complaint on Friday, accusing Khatua of making derogatory remarks against her.

Accompanied by senior BJD leaders, Samantasinghar visited the women’s police station in Bhubaneswar and filed a complaint against the MLA from Nilgiri in Balasore district.

“Khatua has not only demeaned me but has cast aspersions on every woman of Odisha and India, as well as all the women political workers irrespective of their party affiliations. He has stooped to such a low with his utterances that it is difficult on my part to even narrate it here," she alleged in the complaint.

Odisha (Orissa), India, India

News politics ‘Unacceptable’: Naveen Patnaik Condemns BJP MLA's Sexist Remark Against BJD Leader