After Naresh Agrawal's remarks about Jaya Bachchan, here a look at the top league of sexist netas in Indian politics

Naresh Agrawal courted high controversy on Monday when he aimed misogynistic remarks at Jaya Bachchan. Addressing a critical news conference where he was being unveiled as a BJP member after having jumped ship from the Samajwadi Party, Agrawal said:

"I've been compared with women who work in films. One who does dance and roles in films... in their favour, my ticket was cut. I didn't feel that appropriate."

He was referring to Jaya Bachchan being handed a Rajya Sabha ticket over him, though the point was lost on account of the completely unacceptable and boorish statement. Agrawal's former party colleague Akhilesh Yadav summed it up succinctly when he said that the statement was an insult to every woman in India as well as the film world-- though the Samajwadi Party isn’t one to talk about sexism in Indian politics given their dismal record of sexist motormouths.

One of the aspects that makes Agarwal’s statement shocking is the fact that it came from a former seven-time MLA and a Rajya Sabha MP. However, this is hardly the first time a senior political leader has made a sexist remark. Here are some others:

1. Mulayam Singh, Naresh Agrawal's former party leader who hit out at him for the remarks about Jaya Bachchan, is himself a serial offender when it comes to making sexist statements.

In 2012, the Samajwadi Party supremo had objected to the Women's Reservation Bill, allegedly saying:

"Only girls and women from big families will get benefit, not the poor women of our villages. They're not attractive... that's all I will say."

Two years later, Mulayam Singh made arguably his most infamous remark, when he opposed capital punishment for rape at a rally in Moradabad, saying:

"First girls become friends (with boys). Then girl and boy have relations. After they have relations, they call it rape. Boys make mistakes. Will the noose be used in rape cases?"

2. Congress leader and former MP chief minister Digvijaya Singh has also been accused of sexism. Tweeting an attack at now Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in 2012, during the height of the India Against Corruption movement, Singh had allegedly issued the following:

"Arvind Kejriwal is like Rakhi Sawant. They both try and expose but with no substance."

He later apologised to Rakhi Sawant, saying:

"Apologies to Rakhi Sawant I am an old fan of hers!"

3. Similar to the events of Monday, 2012 was witness to another attack by a politician on an actor-turned-politician, as senior Congressman Sanjay Nirupam attacked now-Union Minister Smriti Irani on a live TV debate, allegedly saying:

"Aap to TV pe thumke lagati thi. Aaj chunavi visleshak ban gayi!!!" (You used to dance on TV. Today you have become an election expert.)

4. In 2014, Comedian-turned-politician Kumar Vishwas became embroiled in controversy after making the following 'joke' which was nothing but a definitive misogynistic statement:

"Earlier, nurses used to come from Kerala -- kaali-peeli (dark skinned) -- one would naturally feel like calling them sister."

Vishwas was widely panned and his defence -- that he was a comedian making jokes -- cut no mustard.

5. The third Samajwadi Party neta to appear on this list (Naresh Agrawal included) is Azam Khan, who had, just two days ago, issued a very Naresh Agrawal-esque remark in reference to another Jaya, Jaya Prada.

Jaya Prada had likened him to the highly controversial Padmaavat villain Alauddin Khilji. In response, Azam Khan said the following:

"A woman, a naachne waali (dancer), has made some remark about me. Tell me, if I entertain this 'naachne gaane wali', how will I concentrate on politics?"

Do you support a complete ban on sexist netas? Comment on the section below.