Badminton Star Saina Nehwal Slams Karnataka MLA’s ‘Women Should Be Restricted To Kitchen’ Remark

New Delhi: Olympic medalist Saina Nehwal on Saturday condemned Karnataka Congress MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s remarks on BJP’s female candidate from Karnataka’s Davangere Gayathri Siddeshwara.

At a party workers’ meeting held on Friday, questioning Gayathri’s understanding of the city’s problems, Shivashankarappa had suggested that “women should only be restricted to the kitchen”.

The badminton star termed the 92-year-old’s remarks as “sexist”. She said such comments was least expected from a party that was running Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon campaign.

“Woman should be restricted to the kitchen”- This is what a top Karnataka leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa ji has said. This sexist jibe at @bjp4india candidate from Davanagere Gayathri Siddeshwara ji is least expected from a party that says Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon,” she wrote on social media platform X.

Shivashankarappa is a five-time MLA from Davangere South.

“What profession are women not in today? We are even flying in the sky. The old man doesn’t know how much women have progressed, he doesn’t know the love with which all women cook at home for men, children and elders,” the BJP candidate had said reacting to Shivashankarappa’s statement.

BJP has lodged a complaint against Shivashankarappa with the Election Commission of India (ECI) after the incident.