How Priyanka Gandhi's 'Ladki Hoon' slogan boomeranged with Simi Rose expulsion (2024)

Contradictions, thy name is Congress. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is protesting in Kerala on Monday, accusing the CPI(M) government in the state of protecting the perpetrators of sexual abuse mentioned in the Justice K Hema Committee report. However, just a day earlier, the Congress expelled a woman leader from Kerala, Simi Rose Bell John, who called out the "casting couch" within the party.

The contradictions do not end here.

The Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha by-elections from Kerala's Wayanad is Priyanka Gandhi, who gave the slogan of 'Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon' (I am a woman, and can fight). It is the same state that a woman leader is being silenced for picking up the cudgels against sexual abuse.

Here is another contradiction. Kerala, considered a progressive state, sends the most number of Congress MPs to the Lok Sabha. The Congress has been raising issues of women empowerment and reservation in Parliament, but the silencing of a woman within the party is contradictory to its moves inside the House.

Does the Congress speak with a forked tongue, paying mere lip service to women's emancipation while silencing women who dare to expose the rot within the party?

HOW KERALA CONGRESS GANGED UP AGAINST A WOMAN

"Women who have dignity, pride and nobility cannot work in this party," said Simi Rose Bell, the now-expelled Congress leader from Ernakulam.

Simi Rose also raised allegations of sexual harassment against several Congress leaders, including opposition leader VD Satheesan, stating that only by "impressing' male leaders could women ascend to significant positions, often bypassing the need for talent and experience".

Satheesan denied Simi Rose's charges.

"We supported her well. She even held positions within the All India Congress Committee (AICC)," he said.

The expulsion of Simi Rose came after several women leaders in the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) demanded she be expelled.

KPCC President K Sudhakaran said that the Mahila Congress had filed a complaint against her. He assured of a thorough investigation into the matter.

"The Mahila Congress has lodged a complaint against Simi Rosebell John. Her allegations are baseless, and the KPCC will investigate the complaint filed by Mahila Congress," Sudhakaran said.

'LADKI HOON, LAD SAKTI HOON' VS EXPELLING WOMAN LEADER

This controversy comes at a time when the Kerala film industry is facing immense backlash for its severe disregard for women's safety as revealed in the Hema committee report released last week.

Many are also reminding the Congress party of its General Secretary, Priyanka Gandhi's slogan, 'Ladki hoon, Lad sakti hoon'.

In 2021, Priyanka Gandhi was on her way to meet the families of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri. She was stopped by the police and put under house arrest. This is when the slogan: Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon (I am a woman, I can fight) was born, just ahead of the 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

It didn't translate into electoral success, but the slogan would echo each time the Congress supported a women's cause. On the other hand, for Congress's opponents, the slogan became a way to remind it of its lofty ideals.

The BJP even raised questions about an Instagram post by Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate against actor Kangana Ranaut.

“Can someone tell what is the current rate in Mandi (market)? Shrinate has asked.

The BJP had reminded the Congress of its "Ladki Hoon" slogan and called it out on Shrinate's statement that was an insult to women.

Now, with Simi Rose's expulsion, questions are being raised again, and the Congress is being reminded of Priyanka Gandhi's slogan.

The BJP has hit out again with the 'Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon' slohan.

In an official statement, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee said that it had expelled Simi from the primary membership of the party for not being respectful to the women of the party.

The statement included how Simi Rose's statements caused mental harassment and defamed lakhs of women Congress leaders, and that she was colliding with their political opponents.

This came up after Simi Rose said women inside the Congress do not get prominent positions to women on the basis of merit or their political grassroots work in KSU and Mahila Congress.

THE CONTRADICTIONS CALLED OUT: SLOGANS AND EXPULSION

Congress is being criticised by the BJP for its double standards in criticizing CPI(M) government on the revelations of the Hema Committee report and not addressing the complaints of women leaders from within the party, even expelling them.

"We all know that Congress' tone becomes different every time the elections are over. Priyanka Gandhi used to say, 'Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon'. Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, was on a mission to 'save' the Constitution. But what's happening now is evident before us all!", said Rajeev Chandrasekhar, BJP leader and former Union Minister.

The stark contrast between the slogan of Priyanka Gandhi, 'ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon' and silencing of Simi Rose by expelling her from the party is being drawn.

"Senior Congress leader from Kerala Simi Rosebell John was expelled hours after she accused the Congress of having a “casting couch system” similar to the one in film industry. Priyanka Vadra says “Ladki Hoon Lad sakti hoon” Reality: Ladki ko hi expel kar do!", wrote BJP Spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla on X.

WHY CONGRESS CHERRY-PICKING IS IRONICAL IN KERALA

This backlash came Congress's way as it was quick to criticise the CPI(M) government in Kerala.

The opposition leader of the Congress party in Kerala, V D Satheesan, alleged that the CPI(M) government under Pinarayi Vijayan was complicit in the exploitation of women working in the Malayalam film industry.

“A heap of complaints made by the government. The inaction on the part of the government is a crime. Whose interest did the government want to protect by hushing up a chain of atrocities? The exploitation in the film industry should be stopped, and all crimes should be probed,” he said.

The Congress-led Opposition has insisted that the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to launch a comprehensive investigation on the basis of the Justice K Hema Committee report.

Why the Congres's move to expel Simi Rose is deeply problematic coming from Kerala is because the state sends the most number of Congress MPs to the Lok Sabha. Out of the 18 MPs the state sends to the Lok Sabha, 13 are from the Congress.

The Congress has been vocal on women's reservation and empowerment in the House, however, the silencing of a woman party member in the state that sends most party MPs to Parliament isn't a right sign for the lawmakers. It also gives the impression that the Congress is Janus-faced.

On top of that, Priyanka Gandhi, the voice behind the 'Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon' slogan, is going to contest the Lok Sabha bypolls from Wayanad, a seat in Kerala, where a woman has been silenced.

While the Congress is quick to remind others of their obligations and duties, it is clamping down on its own women leaders for speaking up. The irony is not lost on anyone.