'If A Girl Is Born, You Blame Centre': AAP Slams BJP MLA's "Sexist" Remark

A heated debate over mining revenue in the Punjab Assembly took an unexpected turn on Thursday after BJP MLA Ashwani Sharma made a controversial remark about the birth of girls. The comment triggered sharp protests from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which accused him of displaying a "discriminatory mindset" towards women.Sharma, a former Punjab BJP chief, later issued an apology and said he had referred to an example that was widely used.The controversy began when Mines and Geology Minister Narinder Kumar Goyal blamed the Centre for the state not being able to maximise revenue from the sector."Had the Union government supported us, mining revenue would have touched Rs 20,000 crore as promised by Arvind Kejriwal. The Union government does not want Punjab to prosper. We act on every complaint of illegal mining, register FIRs wherever required, and have even received an appreciation award from the central government for our action against illegal mining," Goyal said.Responding to the repeated attacks on the Centre, Ashwani Sharma took a swipe at the AAP, saying, "If a girl is born in someone's family, even that becomes the Centre's fault. But if a boy is born, it is because of your hard work. You keep shouting 'shame, shame', but you blame the Centre for everything."The remarks immediately drew strong objections from the treasury benches."Do you differentiate between boys and girls? Girls are excelling in every field today. Your Prime Minister speaks of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao', yet young girls are subjected to trolling. Ashwani Sharma should apologise to every girl child. He should hold his ears and apologise," Minister Aman Arora said.Clarifying his remarks after the row, Sharma said he had used a phrase that was prevalent in Punjab."I used a commonly spoken phrase in Punjab. Even after that, I told them that if they felt the remark was inappropriate, it should be expunged from the record... We leave our homes after seeking the blessings of our daughters. If anyone has been hurt by any word I used, I express my regret. There is no hesitation in doing so," Sharma told news agency IANS."But they must answer for their own treatment of women. Where is their concern when women are lathi-charged? Whether it is Valmiki women, teachers, nurses, women farmers in Bathinda on February 7 or women protesting under MGNREGA on July 15, they remain silent. They are twisting one remark only to hide their failures... We have respect for women in our hearts, not merely in words. I have publicly expressed regret if anyone was offended, but they should not indulge in politics in the name of women," he said.