New Delhi
Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury on Tuesday said that the casting couch culture was not just restricted to the film industry and that Parliament too was affected by it.
The remark comes hours after ace choreographer Saroj Khan said that casting couch culture was a way of “livelihood” in the film industry.
“It’s not just in the film industry. It happens everywhere and is the bitter truth. Don’t imagine that Parliament or other workplaces are immune to it,” Chowdhury said, adding that it was the bitter truth.
She further called for India to “stand up and say Me Too”.
Veteran choreographer Saroj Khan has come under scrutiny after her recent comments defending the casting couch culture. “Casting couch provides a livelihood. Taking advantage of a girl is done with her consent. Women are not sexually abused and dumped. They are given livelihood,” she said.
This is not the first time that Chowdhury has raked up the issue of women’s discrimination in Parliament. She had earlier called for a change in the mindset and urged the ruling dispensation for early passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill.
Earlier this year, while replying to a debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address in the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed the concept of Aadhaar was mooted in 1998 by the then home minister LK Advani, who spoke about a universally used national identity card.
At this point, Chowdhury laughed loudly. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu wasn’t quite amused and decided to call her out for the apparent unruly behaviour. “If you have some problem, go to a doctor, please,” he told Chowdhury.
At this point, Modi interjected and said, “It is our good fortune to listen to such laughter for the first time after Ramayan serial.” The statement met thunderous applause from BJP MPs, including Amit Shah.
Naidu had once earlier asked Chowdhury to lose weight and make efforts to increase the weight of her party.
