An inflammatory claim made by Rekha Arya's husband, a minister from Uttarakhand, has sparked a firestorm of criticism. His insinuation that Bihari girls can be wed off cheaply has drawn sharp rebukes from political factions in Bihar, including allies in the ruling NDA.

Patna: A public remark by Uttarakhand minister Rekha Arya’s husband claiming that “Bihari girls are available for just Rs20,000 to Rs25,000 for weddings” triggered a political storm in Bihar on Friday, drawing sharp condemnation across party lines, even as the Bihar State Women Commission (BSWC) took suo motu cognisance of the comment and issued notice to him.

While the opposition INDIA bloc slammed the statement, ruling NDA partners also joined in rejecting the remark in strong words.In the video, Giridhari Lal Sahu, the husband of cabinet minister for women and child welfare, was seen interacting with a group of youths, questioning them about their marital status and suggesting that marriages could be arranged with “Bihar girls at low cost”. The clip has now gone viral, triggering massive protests from various quarters, from leaders to social media users.Condemning the remark, RJD spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan sought the dismissal of the minister from the cabinet and the expulsion of her husband from the BJP. “If even a little morality and dignity is left in the BJP, it should tender a public apology and act against its leaders quickly,” RJD spokesperson Gagan told the reporters on Friday. He said Bihar would not tolerate such language being used towards “Bihari girls”. He alleged that BJP people went overdrive to show women from Bihar in a poor light, but “what is more saddening is that the saffron leaders have gone silent over the issue.

”The Congress asked PM Narendra Modi and BJP’s national working president Nitin Nabin to instantly tender a public apology, alleging that “women from Bihar are being auctioned”.“The women from Bihar are not for sale,” Congress spokesperson Rajesh Rathore said, wondering why women from Bihar were being “shown in poor light” right since Bihar leader Nitin Nabin was appointed the BJP’s national working president.

“Nabin must immediately react over the issue,” Rathore said.Governing NDA leaders also strongly reacted over the issue. Threatening to drag the Uttarakhand minister’s husband to court if he did not tender a public apology, JD(U) MP from Jhanjharpur Ramprit Mandal said Bihar would not tolerate the insult of women. “I ask Sahu to tender a public apology by Friday evening, or we will move the court,” Mandal, who is from Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s party said, demanding action against the minister’s husband.Asking the BJP leadership to act against its leader, LJP(RV) spokesperson Ranjan Singh said if Sahu was in his party, they would have thrown him out of the party long back. “No one can tolerate such statements against women of Bihar,” Singh said.The BJP demanded stern action against the minister’s husband, stating they totally rejected it. “No amount of condemnation is enough for this,” state BJP’s media head Danish Iqbal said, denying it was “BJP’s official line”.