Congress, AAP Slam BJP's Kirron Kher Over "Laanat Hai" Remark For Voters

The Congress and the AAP on Thursday slammed BJP MP from Chandigarh Kirron Kher, accusing her of using "inappropriate" words while referring to her constituents at an event here, and demanded that she apologise.

They claimed that Ms Kher, a second-time MP from Chandigarh, used words such as "laanat hai" and "chittar ferne chahiye" while referring to voters.

Ms Kher was addressing an event in Kishangarh here on Wednesday and she talked about the development works done for the residents of the Deep Complex locality.

In a video, the MP is purportedly heard saying that "agar Deep Complex mein ek bhi banda mere ko vote na dale toh phir bade laanat ki baat hai...jaakar chittar ferne chahiye unko, kyon ki itne paise deke maine unki sadke banvayi (If not even one from Deep Complex votes for me, then it is a highly shameful thing...they need to be beaten up with slippers)".

Ms Kher appeared to be speaking in a lighter vein, but her political rivals latched on to her remarks and launched a scathing attack.

Reacting to the BJP MP's remarks, Chandigarh Pradesh Mahila Congress president Deipa Dubey said, "It is sad that the Chandigarh MP is saying that if people don't vote for her they will be beaten with slippers. What does she want to convey by using such language?"  "She is also heard saying that she got roads built by giving money. Did she give the money for this from her own pocket? What kind of langugage is she using... and this is not the first time that she has used such langugage," she said.

The Chandigarh Mahila Congress demands that "she apologise to people because of whom she is the MP", Ms Dubey said.

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader from Chandigarh, Pradeep Chhabra claimed that "Kirron Kher says that she got roads worth Rs 1 crore built in Deep Complex, but that does not mean that she should use such inappropriate language for her voters". She should apologise to the people of Chandigarh, he said.  The AAP leader claimed that in the past Ms Kher had referred to AAP councilors here as "dungers (animals)".

At the event on Wednesday, the MP was among others accompanied by Chandigarh Mayor Anup Gupta.

Youth Congress workers here held a protest on Thursday during which they held their shoes in their hands and said people of Chandigarh did not elect Ms Kher as MP "to hear words that they will be beaten if they don't vote for her again".

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)