Pune: NCP Slams Congress Over ‘Gungi Gudiya’ Remark on Sunetra Pawar, Invokes Indira Gandhi Comparison

Pune, 4th August 2026: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday strongly criticised the Maharashtra Congress over its use of the term “Gungi Gudiya” (mute doll) to describe Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, saying the remark was derogatory towards women and reflected a contradiction in the Congress’s own political history.

The controversy erupted after the Maharashtra Congress, through its official handle on X, referred to Sunetra Pawar as “Gungi Gudiya”. The post was in reference to a recent press conference in Beed, where former minister Dhananjay Munde intervened while reporters were questioning Sunetra Pawar and did not allow her to respond, drawing criticism and triggering a political row.

Reacting to the post, NCP leader Umesh Patil questioned whether the Congress was indirectly endorsing the criticism once levelled against former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who had also been described as “Gungi Gudiya” by her political opponents during the early years of her career.

“Is the Congress today indirectly accepting that the criticism levelled against the late Indira Gandhi was justified? By using the term ‘Gungi Gudiya’, is the party rejecting its own political history?” Patil asked.

He recalled that although Indira Gandhi had faced similar remarks from her critics, she had responded through her leadership rather than words. Patil said her role during the Bangladesh Liberation War and her decisions on national security had earned her recognition as a strong global leader, with even several political opponents later acknowledging her leadership.

Patil said the Congress had once considered the phrase “Gungi Gudiya” to be an unfair and insulting attack on a woman leader. “Why is the same Congress now using the same expression against another woman public representative? Does this mean the party now believes that such criticism was justified?” he asked.

Calling the issue larger than party politics, Patil said democratic politics could accommodate ideological differences and strong criticism of policies, but language that demeaned women had no place in public discourse. He urged the Congress to withdraw the remark and uphold a tradition of respectful political dialogue.

The NCP’s Pune city president Nilesh Nikam also condemned the Congress’s statement, describing it as “unfortunate and condemnable.”

“The Congress has a political legacy spanning more than a century. It is regrettable that such a party has used this kind of language against a woman leader. This is not merely political criticism but an insult to women,” Nikam said.

He added that Sunetra Pawar was navigating a difficult phase while continuing to lead the party and support its workers, making such remarks particularly insensitive.

“The use of the term ‘Gungi Gudiya’ for a capable woman leader like Sunetra Pawar is not just political opposition but an affront to women. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP strongly condemns this statement,” Nikam said.

The party also demanded that the Congress apologise for the remark and clarify its stand on the issue.