Demanding action against the shameful remarks made by BJP MLA Bahadur Singh Koli in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
By Joint Memorandum by women's and people's organisations in Rajasthan
Respected Sir,
We are writing to express our deep anguish and disappointment over the remarks made by BJP MLA Shri Bahadur Singh Koli in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. He compared the current government’s budget to the “birth of a boy” and the Congress government’s budget to the “birth of a girl.” Such a patriarchal analogy is deeply disturbing and reflects a regressive and anti-women mindset. These words were spoken inside the Assembly, which makes their implications even more serious.
Son preference and the devaluation of girls have been among the deepest social evils in our country, responsible for female foeticide, distorted sex ratios, and the denial of equal opportunities to women and girls. When an elected representative uses such prejudice casually in political speech within the House, it sends a harmful message to society — that such thinking is acceptable, even worthy of celebration.
The Constitution of India guarantees equality (Article 14), prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex (Article 15), and ensures the right to life with dignity (Article 21). When a legislator makes derogatory remarks about women, it is not only an insult to women but also to the Constitution he has sworn to uphold.
Yet Shri Koli appears to see no contradiction in taking this oath while making such trivial and regressive remarks. More troubling is the absence of remorse — no acknowledgment that what he said was wrong. This is not merely an error of judgment; it is a disregard for the dignity of the office he holds.
It is also deeply hypocritical that a member of a party that publicly celebrates the birth of girls is using the birth of a girl as an insult. Perhaps most disturbing is not just the remark itself, but the laughter and applause from those seated around him. This indicates that such attitudes are not limited to one individual — they are shared and normalized within the House itself. Those elected to represent us and protect our rights are trivialising an issue that has caused irreparable harm to millions of girls in this country.
We therefore urge you to take this matter seriously. As Speaker, you have both the authority and the responsibility to:
1. Expunge the unparliamentary words from the Assembly proceedings.
2. Issue a strong warning and initiate disciplinary action against the concerned member.
3. Consider suspension if necessary.
4. Refer the matter to the Privileges or Ethics Committee.
5. Direct him to issue a public and unconditional apology to the women of Rajasthan.
As the guardian of the dignity and decorum of the House, we believe it is your constitutional and moral responsibility to ensure accountability. A legislature that does not hold its members accountable for misogynistic speech cannot claim to represent half its population. If such statements are left unaddressed, it will set a dangerous precedent where women’s dignity becomes collateral damage in political rhetoric. When those sworn to uphold the Constitution violate its spirit, silence from the Chair becomes equally serious.
The dignity of the Assembly is paramount. It is a place where policies are made, people’s voices are raised, and governments are held accountable. If derogatory language against women is used within the House, it sends a message that those at the centre of power are not committed to gender equality. This undermines democracy and discourages women’s participation in politics.
We also believe that in the current and previous sessions, the dignity of women has been overlooked and objectionable behaviour has occurred. Therefore, it is essential that the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly develop gender guidelines and implement them at the earliest. Legislators should be oriented about these guidelines before entering the House. This will help prevent misogynistic speech and promote appropriate conduct toward women.
We would also like to remind you that under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act), the constitution of an Internal Complaints Committee is mandatory. While such a mechanism exists for Assembly staff, women legislators and women visitors to the Assembly fall outside its scope. This is inconsistent with the spirit of the 2013 law. We hope this issue will also receive due attention.
We hope that this Assembly will become one of the first in the country where even strong political differences between ruling and opposition parties do not result in any form of verbal, non-verbal, written, or other indignity toward women.
We expect prompt action on both issues. If no action is taken, we wish to state that we will be compelled to protest publicly. The people of this state will not remain silent when their elected representatives make such remarks without consequences.
In a democracy, dignity is not optional — it is essential. We look forward to your response.