'Why so scared of women in veils': Rabri Devi hits back at Union Minister Ashwini Choubey for 'ghoonghat' jibe

Rabri Devi has claimed that former poll strategist Prashant Kishor had visited her place five times as Kumar's emissary and that she had turned him away on account of having lost trust in Kumar, the JD(U) president. She had also claimed that it indicated that all was not well between JD(U) and the BJP.

Asked for his comments during his poll campaign at Sitamarhi, union minister and BJP leader Ashwini Choubey said, "There is no problem in the NDA. What do I say about Rabri Devi? She is my bhabhi (sister-in-law). It would be better if she remains in ghoonghat".

Ashwini Kumar Choubey, the minister of state for health and family welfare, had been in the news in the past for his statements favouring chopping off of the limbs of government doctors who play truant and blaming patients from Bihar for overcrowding AIIMS, Delhi.

Earlier this month, he was booked for violating the Model Code of Conduct by forcibly entering a public park here a couple of days ago in a cavalcade comprising more than a dozen vehicles and allegedly misbehaving with a government official who tried to stop him.

Choubey is contesting from Buxar Lok Sabha seat as a BJP candidate in the ongoing general elections.

Rabri Devi, who is also the national vice-president of the RJD, issued a video statement which was circulated on the social media by her party wherein she asked Choubey whether he thought his male chauvinism was in consonance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'beti bachao beti padhao' campaign.

"Choubeyji, you should tell the people of the country what problem you have with women giving up their ghoonghats and taking part in public life," she said in the video clip.

Rabri Devi, who is currently leader of the opposition in the legislative council, also came up with a couple of tweets - one of these in Hindi and the other in her native Bhojpuri lambasting Choubey for "betraying the pain you feel upon demolition of the caste-based patriarchy which we have demolished in Bihar".

In her Bhojpuri tweet Rabri Devi, the former home-maker who has over the years evolved into a combative politician, asked "Why are you scared of women moving about without ghoonghats? Are you scared that having done nothing for your constituency for five years, they might pluck your beard ? And do you practise what you preach, making women of your family remain in ghoonghat ?"

Comments by BJP MLA asking Rabri Devi to remain in Ghoonghat reeks of the mindset propagated by BJP & RSS. Time & again, Modi's own handpicked leader prove that Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is the biggest sham: Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Congress

This is the true feudal patriarchal Manuvadi face of BJP & Modi Raj! Modi Min @AshwiniKChoubey says @RabriDeviRJD shd remain in ghoonghat & @nityanandraibjp says what's wrong, ghoonghat is good! If these Chowkidars think ghoonghat is so good, why don't they stay in ghoonghat: Kavita Krishnan, CPI(ML)