Nirmala Sitharaman spars with Mallikarjun Kharge over his 'weak women' remark in Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha, in its first sitting in the new Parliament building, witnessed sparring between Mallikarjun Kharge and Nirmala Sitharaman after the former’s remarks that political parties picked “weak women” as candidates and “won't choose those who're educated and can fight.” “Largely, ladies from backward and scheduled castes are not that literate. Their literacy rate is low, because of which all political parties have a habit of nominating weak women,” Kharge, who is Leader of Opposition in the Upper House, said. Reacting to Kharge's remarks, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on behalf of her party, the BJP registered a strong protest stating that Kharge’s “sweeping statement” was “absolutely unacceptable.”