Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Sunday attacked Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra by claiming the latter was more interested in clothes worn by Deepika Padukone in films even as the state is witnessing "maximum atrocities" against women and tribals.
Mishra had objected to the saffron colour of Padukone's dress in a song from the film Pathaan, also starring Shah Rukh Khan.
Kumar, the national in charge of the Congress' National Students Union of India, was speaking at the 'Adivasi Yuva Mahapanchayat' organized by students and unemployed youth from the tribal community.
"Mishra has great interest in films. He often observes how Deepika Padukone (in films) dresses. Maximum atrocities against women and tribals are taking place in Madhya Pradesh. So, it would be better if the home minister runs his state first," Kumar said.
Kumar, former president of Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students' union, also attacked the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government's flagship 'Ladli Behna' scheme, under which women fulfilling certain criteria are given Rs 1,000 per month.
"BJP leaders are saying this amount would be increased. They should keep this amount with themselves and tells us why a gas cylinder costing Rs 350 is sold at Rs 1,400," he alleged.
CM Chouhan recently said the aid under the Ladli Behna scheme would be increased to Rs 3,000 per month soon.
Attacking right-wing organizations, Kumar claimed that in order to change the basic identity of the tribals, efforts were being made to describe them as "forest dwellers".
"If those living in forests are forest dwellers, then should people living in flats be called flat dwellers," he quipped.
Published 30 July 2023, 17:13 IST