Row over SP leader’s post on woman spokesperson

Lucknow: Objectionable comments by a

Samajwadi Party leader

from Gorakhpur against a

woman spokesperson

on a social media page of the party has provided ammunition to rival parties to question the conduct of SP cadre.

While the party has issued notice to the leader concerned, the spokesperson from Agra,

Roli Tewari Misra

, has described the delay in action as “a test of her patience”.

The BJP, however, lapped up the opportunity to attack the SP.

Kanpur MP Satyadev Pachauri

tweeted: “Roli ji...You are like my daughter and you will get justice.”

Senior Congress leader and in charge of Gorakhpur region Dwijendra Tripathi said, “Everyone must respect women in all walks of life.”

It all began on Friday when a photograph of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav planting a Parijat tree came up on his official Facebook page and Roli Tewari Misra posted a comment complimenting the party president.

“Thereafter, one

Manurojan Yadav

started posting comments which were so filthy that I cannot even repeat them,” Roli told TOI on Wednesday evening. “Manurojan Yadav is an SP leader from Gorakhpur from where his wife is the zila panchayat chairperson,” she said.

Roli said she lodged a complaint with party leadership demanding action against Manurojan only to be told that he had been pulled up and would delete the objectionable posts.

“I came to know that Manurojan apparently told his leaders that he targeted me as I had a Brahmin surname. This is outrageous,” she said, adding that she had faith in the party president and was confident that he would be punished.

SP national secretary Rajendra Chaudhary told TOI that the party had issued a show cause notice to the leader concerned.

“Party president Akhilesh Yadav’s stand is clear that disrespect towards a woman will not be tolerated,” Chaudhary further said.