Shamanur Shivashankarappa
Credit: DH Photo
Davangere: Davangere South MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa has an uncanny knack for courting controversies. This time, the Congress veteran is under fire for his remarks on Davangere parliamentary seat BJP nominee Gayathri Siddeshwara, wife of incumbent MP and former union minister G M Siddeshwara, that ‘she belongs in the kitchen’.
While addressing the workers meeting organised by the district Congress committee at Bunts Bhavan recently, Shamanur said, “She (Gayathri) does not even know how to speak properly. She is fit to cook food at home. Let her understand the problems of Davangere first before seeking people’s support in the Lok Sabha polls. She is asking voters to back BJP in Lok Sabha polls so that she could present lotus to Modi. Earlier, you(G M Siddeshwara) had won, did you present lotus to Modi then? Sending Lotus to Modi does not develop Davangere. Development works must be implemented here,” he added.
Reacting to it, BJP nominee Gayathri Siddeshwara said, “Women are making a mark in all fields today. It seems Ajja (Shamanur) is not aware of it. Shamanur has insulted women with his remarks. Are we confined only to the kitchen? Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given importance to women empowerment. But such people (like Shamanur) keep insulting women,” she rued.
It may be mentioned here Shamanur’s daughter-in-law Prabha Mallikarjun, a graduate in dental science, is the Congress nominee from Davangere.