A political controversy erupted on November 3 after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) targeted All India Students’ Association (AISA) president Neha Bora over her remarks concerning women’s safety, the Brahmanical system and alleged sexual assaults by temple priests. The issue gained further attention after leaders from Congress allies Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) also criticised her statements.
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The controversy began after BJP leaders circulated an undated video of Bora in which she spoke about the safety of women and other vulnerable sections of society. Referring to the Brahmanical system, she alleged that even Brahmin women were unsafe and made remarks about priests committing sexual assaults inside temples, citing the Unnao and Kathua cases.
BJP Accuses Neha Bora of Targeting Hindu Religious Institutions
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari shared the video on social media and accused Bora of displaying what he described as an anti-Hindu mindset. He also linked her remarks to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling her a prominent face of his political circle.
BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia also criticised Bora, alleging that her comments insulted Hindu priests and religious institutions. Bhandari and other BJP leaders questioned her statements and accused the Congress ecosystem of hostility towards Hindu beliefs.
Congress Allies Also Question Her Remarks
The remarks also drew criticism from leaders belonging to parties associated with the Congress-led Opposition alliance. Former Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi described Bora’s generalised statements as unfortunate and questioned the language used to refer to priests and religious institutions.
Chaturvedi said that allegations against an entire community of religious functionaries should not be made through sweeping statements. She also expressed concern over radical thinking across political and ideological positions, adding that she would like to speak to Bora personally.
