March 14, 2026 07:16 am (IST)
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Shazia Ilmi more beautiful than Kiran Bedi: Markandey Katju
New Delhi, Jan 30 (IBNS): Former Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju has sparked a row by apparently making a sexist comment involving BJP's chief ministerial candidate for Delhi elections Kiran Bedi and recently-joined leader Shazia Ilmi where he compared their 'beauty'.
He said he thinks Shazia more beautiful than Bedi and had the BJP made the former one their CM candidate, the party would have won the elections in Delhi.
"I regard Shazia Ilmi much more beautiful than Kiran Bedi. If Shazia had been made their C.M. candidate BJP wud have definitely won the Delhi elections. People vote for beautiful faces, as in Croatia. Even a person like me who does not vote wud have voted for Shazia," Katju tweeted.
After he received severe criticisms over his tweet, Katju later said the comment was made in 'lighter vein'.
"Some people objected to my last tweet. My response is : develop a sense of humour. The tweet was in lighter vein,& shud be construed as such," he posted.
But in his blog he also defended his earlier statement.
"What is wrong with some of you people? Can't an old man like me admire a beautiful woman? By admiring a beautiful flower I am not plucking it, and by admiring a beautiful garden from a distance I am not tresspassing onto it. Similarly, if I admire a beautiful woman I am not misbehaving with her, or taking liberties with her," he wrote.
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