Why didn''t Renuka speak on casting couch when she was MP, wonders Sena

Mumbai, April 27

Hitting out at Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury over her remarks that Parliament was not immune to casting couch, the Shiv Sena on Friday sought to know why she did not raise the issue when she was an MP.

The saffron party said although her remarks were "irresponsible" and "insulted the country's women", the Modi government should take serious cognisance of the charges.

Chowdhury, whose term as a Rajya Sabha MP ended last month, recently said Parliament is not immune to the casting couch culture. She said it was a "bitter truth" not just in the film industry, but in all work spaces.

"Renuka's statements are irresponsible and insulted all the women in the country...She herself was an MP and a Union minister. Only when her Rajya Sabha term came to an end that she remembered casting couch," the Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

She said women are exploited at work spaces. According to her, it happens not only in the film industry, but in the Parliament as well, it added.

"If all this was happening in the Parliament, then why didn't she raise her voice against it in the past? If women were being exploited before her eyes, why didn't she speak in the Parliament about it? Why did she choose to speak out only when her Rajya Sabha term ended?" the Uddhav Thackeray-led party asked.

"But if what she says is right, then her party-Congress-should give an explanation about it. Parliament is a temple of democracy. She should clarify whether her charges are directed at her own party. Congress was in power for so many years and the Modi government has been at the helm of affairs for the past four years," it said.

"But the Modi government will have to take a serious cognisance of her allegations...If there is casting couch in Parliament, from when it has been going on?" it asked.

After Saroj Khan (veteran Bollywood choreographer) defended the casting couch culture in the film industry, Renuka spoke on the issue, the Sena said adding, "But had she spoken about it in the Parliament, it would have been taken seriously." PTI