BJP leader apologises after anti-women slogans at Article 370 celebration rally in J&K

BJP leader Altaf Thakur on Thursday apologised for anti-women slogans raised during the party's rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district to mark the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, saying the remarks did not represent the party's official position.

Thakur said the BJP firmly believes in respecting the dignity of women and remains committed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of women empowerment.

"I apologise to anyone who was hurt by the derogatory slogans," Thakur told reporters, acknowledging that demeaning words had been used against women.

"Our party has always upheld the dignity and honour of women. Women are our sisters, mothers and daughters. The BJP has been at the forefront of empowering women, and the historic decision to provide 33 per cent reservation for women reflects that commitment," he said.

He maintained that the objectionable slogans were raised by certain individuals and should not be attributed to the BJP as an organisation.

"Some individuals may have raised slogans based on their personal thinking or emotions, but those slogans do not represent the BJP's official stand or the views of the leaders who led the rally. The party does not endorse any defamatory or derogatory remarks against anyone," Thakur said.

The incident drew sharp criticism from the National Conference.

Reacting to the controversy, National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said some insults were not directed at individuals but at society as a whole.

"'Azi' and 'Fazi' are not merely names. They symbolise the respect, affection and dignity with which Kashmir has always regarded its mothers and sisters. The day political leaders chose to turn those names into a joke, they crossed a line," Sadiq said in a post on X.

In a separate development, the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit issued a warning to journalists against seeking comments from party leaders who are not authorised to speak on its behalf.

In a press release, the party said some media persons were repeatedly approaching unauthorised leaders for comments, creating confusion and misrepresenting the BJP's official position.

"It has been observed that certain media persons are repeatedly seeking comments and media bytes from individuals who are not authorised to speak on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Jammu and Kashmir. Such practices create confusion, misrepresent the party's official stance, and mislead the public," the BJP spokesperson said.

The party warned that journalists who continue to seek comments from unauthorised leaders could be barred from official BJP media interactions in Jammu and Kashmir.