BRS Working President K T Rama Rao has drawn flak for his comments on the Congress government's scheme of free travel for women in state-run RTC buses, with Telangana Minister D Anasuya criticising the remarks on Thursday.
Addressing a gathering at the BRS office here, Rao said his party would have no objection if women took up activities like knitting while travelling in the buses.
Why should the BRS object if women or entire families do work like knitting or "break-dance" in buses, but his party wants scuffles breaking out in buses to be avoided, he said.
Rao asked whether a situation of jostling for space or scuffles breaking out among passengers in buses ever occurred during the previous BRS regime.
The government should provide an adequate number of buses for the convenience of passengers, he said, responding to certain remarks made by State Women and Child Welfare Minister Anasuya.
Taking exception to Rao's comments, the minister said BRS and Rao should apologise to the women of Telangana.
BRS was earlier spreading false information on the free bus travel scheme and now Rao says "women and families can do break-dance", she said.
"Is this your manners?," she asked.
Meanwhile, Telangana State Women's Commission chairperson Nerella Sharada said the commission took suo motu cognisance of a "media post made by Rama Rao".
"The said post has been widely circulated and has come to the attention of the Commission due to its derogatory nature, particularly concerning women and the larger community of women in Telangana," Sharada said on 'X'.
"The Commission has observed that the comments made in the post are not only inappropriate but have also caused distress among women across the state," she said.
"In light of the above, the Commission has initiated a suo moto inquiry into the matter under the powers vested in it by the Telangana State Women’s Commission Act," she said.
Published 15 August 2024, 20:00 IST