The All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) issues this statement to express its strongest condemnation of the reprehensible and sexist remarks made by Mr. A. Irshad, the United Democratic Front (UDF) Convenor, targeting Mrs. U. Prathibha, a candidate in the Kerala legislative elections from the Kayamkulam constituency. During the course of the election campaign, Mr. Irshad resorted to highly derogatory insinuations regarding the candidate’s physical appearance and character, effectively attempting to "body shame" a woman leader in the public eye. These statements are not merely political posturing but constitute a direct assault on a woman’s dignity and an intentional effort to humiliate a candidate based on her gender and body. By prioritizing personal attacks over a discourse on public record or policy, Mr. Irshad has created a hostile and "shaming" environment that seeks to lower the dignity of women participating in the democratic process.
Such conduct is a blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which strictly prohibits personal attacks on the private lives of political leaders. Furthermore, AIDWA asserts that these remarks fall under the ambit of criminal offenses as defined by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023—specifically Section 79, regarding acts intended to insult the dignity of a woman—and constitute a corrupt practice under Section 123(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The use of such language is a calculated move to arouse contempt based on gender and unfairly influence the electoral outcome through character assassination.
In light of these grave violations, AIDWA demands that the Election Commission of India take immediate cognizance under Article 324 of the Constitution. We call for an immediate "cease and desist" directive against Mr. A. Irshad and the imposition of a total campaign ban for the remainder of the election cycle. We further urge the District Election Officer to ensure the registration of an FIR and demand that the UDF leadership publicly dissociate from their Convenor’s remarks. AIDWA remains steadfast in its solidarity with Mrs. U. Prathibha and continues to fight against the weaponization of patriarchy and misogyny in Indian politics.
