August 22, 2026 06:15 am (IST)
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.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
Cockroaches, flies, chemicals near food: Mumbai FDA suspends licences of top eateries, clubs
Fri, Aug 21 2026
India dismisses Pakistan's 'frustration' over US envoy's J&K remark
Fri, Aug 21 2026
Centre denies US visit clearance to Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, says programmes 'not appropriate'
Fri, Aug 21 2026
Indian Navy gets major boost as indigenous anti-submarine warfare ship ‘Mangrol’ delivered
Fri, Aug 21 2026
India’s space push gets rocket boost! PM Modi meets 20 startup CEOs
Fri, Aug 21 2026
Rahul Gandhi stages dharna at Delhi police station over CJP protest crackdown, targets Amit Shah
Fri, Aug 21 2026
CJP school tour turns chaotic in Jaipur: Cars vandalised, stones pelted as Ashutosh Ranka alleges BJP ‘goons’ attack
Fri, Aug 21 2026
Trump’s ‘Economic D-Day’ against Iran: What it means for India
Fri, Aug 21 2026
