Bihar politician Sharad Yadav was pummeled in Parliament and on social media for his comments on "dark-skinned south Indian women" during a debate.
Mr Yadav, a parliamentarian of Bihar's ruling Janata Dal United, was speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday on the government's bill for insurance reforms when he inexplicably launched into a rant on what he called the Indian obsession with fair skin.
He described the proposal to raise foreign investment from 26 to 49 per cent as a symptom of this obsession. "Here people are awed by fair skin. Matrimonial ads also ask for fair skinned brides," he said.
When DMK MP Kanimozhi objected, Mr Yadav said every discussion in Parliament need not be "serious".
Some MPs tried to interrupt Mr Yadav and steer him back to the debate but he was unstoppable.
"This kind of comment from one of our seniormost parliamentarians is absolutely appalling. It reeks of racism and misogyny," said the BJP's Sambit Patra.
"It's shocking and highly objectionable. These remarks should be expunged and not allowed," said senior CPM leader Brinda Karat.
The criticism did draw an apology, but not from Mr Yadav.
Mr Yadav had in the past controversially used the term "parkati auratein (short-haired women)" to argue against the Women's Quota Bill.
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