Response from Ms.Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as given to @Tavysingh in response to Mr.Katiyar's statement pic.twitter.com/tYLtZpPglv



— Preeti Sahai (@sahai_preeti) January 25, 2017

NEW DELHI: The Congress party's Priyanka Gandhi laughed in the face of BJP politician Vinay Katiyar 's offensive sexist statements about her, and in a political masterstroke said his comments "expose the BJP's mindset towards women.""He exposes the BJP's mindset towards the better half of the population of India," said a statement from Priyanka.Katiyar said earlier today he didn't think Priyanka was a 'star campaigner' for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls because "there are other campaigners who are far more beautiful than her.""Ha ha ha, he's right...they do (are)!!...," said Priyanka, according to a tweet posted by her aide Preeti Sahai."And if that's all he sees in my colleagues who are such strong, brave and beautiful women that have battled through all sorts of hardships to get where they are, then he makes me laugh even more," Priyanka said.Sonia's daughter has been credited with swinging an electoral alliance with the Samajwadi Party for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls, after a tie-up seemed on the skids on the issue of seat sharing.Times Now asked Katiyar if he thought Priyanka -'star campaigner' - going to Uttar Pradesh to promote the Congress would be an advantage for the party."What star campaigner? No, I don't think that's a factor. There are so many other more beautiful female campaigners. There are heroines. So many others more beautiful," Katiyar told Times Now, when asked if he thought Priyanka campaigning would be an advantage for the Congress in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls."His atrocious remarks show the petty and lowly mindset of the BJP's leadership towards the women of India. The PM must apologise," said Congress spokesman RS Surjewala.That he thought being a 'star campaigner' had something to do with how a woman looks - rather than political charisma - only goes to show that what's more revolting and pernicious than sexism among many male Indian politicians is casual, unthinking sexism - the kind that comes as part and parcel of the language they use and their belief system.Just earlier today, JD (U) MP Sharad Yadav said "the honour of a vote is more important than the honour of a woman.""It is very important to educate people in a big way about how the ballot paper works. The honour of being able to cast a vote is a much bigger honour than your daughter's honour," he said in an address, ANI reported, along with a video of the Janata Dal (U) politician's speech.Two years ago, Sharad Yadav waxed eloquent about "the beauty of south Indian women". He did this in Parliament, no less.Last year, another BJP leader, Dayashankar Singh compared BSP chief Mayawati to a prostitute.In December 2012, when the assembly election results of Gujarat were announced, Sanjay Nirupam, a former Congress MP, allegedly called current Union minister Smriti Irani a "thumkewaali"- a term that implies "nautch girl."