A controversy erupted in the Rajasthan Assembly after BJP MLA Bahadur Singh Koli made remarks during a budget debate comparing the ruling BJP government’s budgets to the birth of a “son” and the previous Congress government’s budget to the birth of a “daughter,” drawing strong objections from opposition members and triggering a wider political backlash.
Speaking during the discussion on the state budget, the Weir MLA praised successive budgets presented under the BJP government led by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, describing them as progressive and youth-oriented. In his remarks, Koli said the government’s first, second, and third budgets had each been widely appreciated and used an analogy equating them with the birth of sons, suggesting they were productive and beneficial. While criticising the previous Congress administration led by former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, he claimed that its final pre-election budget resembled the birth of a daughter, implying it lacked lasting value.
The comments prompted protests from Congress legislators, who objected to what they described as sexist and discriminatory language. Although several BJP MLAs were seen laughing during the speech, the Speaker did not immediately intervene. The issue resurfaced the following day when Leader of the Opposition Tika Ram Jully condemned the remarks, calling them inappropriate and reflective of outdated gender bias. He said such comparisons demean daughters and had no place in legislative discussions, adding that he personally found the comments offensive as a father of daughters.
Jully demanded clarification from the ruling party and argued that gender-based analogies undermine the seriousness of policy debates in the Assembly. Opposition members maintained that public representatives should avoid language that reinforces social discrimination, particularly within an official legislative forum.
Responding to criticism, Koli defended his statement while speaking to reporters, saying his remarks were rooted in local Brijbhasha expression and were intended to praise what he considered a strong budget. He questioned why the analogy was being viewed as objectionable and reiterated his criticism of the previous Congress government, alleging that its budget announcements were populist measures aimed at influencing voters ahead of elections.
The episode has sparked broader discussion about political rhetoric and gender sensitivity in public discourse, with opposition leaders accusing the ruling party of normalising discriminatory language, while the MLA maintained that his comments were metaphorical and had been misunderstood.
