After his sexist remark against Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earned him the wrath of PM Modi and other BJP leaders, Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit back saying, "respect for women begins at home".

Earlier in the day, Gandhi landed himself in a major controversy when he said that PM Modi got a "woman" to defend him in Parliament.

Speaking at a kisan rally in Jaipur on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi said, "Janta ki adaalat se 56-inch ki chaati wala chowkidaar bhaag gaya. Aur ek mahila se kehta hai sitharaman ji aap meri raksha kijiye, main apni raksha nahi kar paunga, aap meri raksha kijiye. Aapne dekha 2.5 hours mahila raksha nahi kar payi. (The 56-inch-chest chowkidaar ran away from the Lok Sabha. And he asked a woman, 'Sitharaman ji please defend me, I would not be able to defend myself'. You all must have seen that for 2.5 hours, the woman failed to defend him.)"

With all due respect Modi Ji, in our culture respect for women begins at home.



Stop shaking. Be a man and answer my question: Did the Air Force and Defence Ministry object when you bypassed the original Rafale deal?



Yes? Or No? #RafaleScam Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 9, 2019

Gandhi was referring to Sitharaman's recent speech in Lok Sabha when she spoke for 2.5 hours to defend the Rafale deal.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) also took note of the remark and has said that they will be sending a notice to Gandhi.

(Listen to the comment at 18:30 minute in the clip)

Soon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called out Gandhi over the remark and said this is an insult to all women. At a public meeting in Agra, Modi said, "This is an insult to the women in the country."

He said Defence Minister Sitharaman had floored the Opposition in the Lok Sabha by coming up with "fact after fact" on the Rafale deal.

"They are bent upon insulting a woman defence minister," he said, without naming Gandhi.

"This is not an insult to a woman, but an insult to entire India's women power, for which these irresponsible leaders will have to pay the price," Modi added.

Later, Rahul again said in a tweet, "With all due respect Modi Ji, in our culture respect for women begins at home. Stop shaking. Be a man and answer my question: Did the Air Force and Defence Ministry object when you bypassed the original Rafale deal? Yes? Or No?"

The prime minister said it was matter of pride that a woman had become defence minister for the first time in the country.

BJP president Amit Shah, too, targeted Gandhi over the remark and said, "Defence Minister @nsitharaman’s outstanding speech in Parliament has silenced the opposition. Unable to counter her on facts, they’re resorting to misogyny. They owe an apology to India’s Nari Shakti."

NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma asked, "What is Rahul Gandhi trying to imply with his misogynistic statement? Does he think women are weak? The irony- calling an accomplished defence minister of the largest democracy a weak person."

(With PTI inputs)