It was a great deal more than female-bonding. Sushma Swaraj’s almost immediately condemnation of a derogatory, sexist remark against Jaya Bachchan by the latest turncoat in the BJP ranks, Naresh Agarwal, is a refreshing reminder that traces of grace and decency can still be found in the political establishment.

True that a BJP spokesman alert to the implications of a bad Press immediately sought to distance the party from a not-uncommon cheap remark from its latest convert, but coming from the most senior woman member of the Cabinet, Mrs Swaraj’s “improper and unacceptable” description of Agarwal’s comment was telling. For not only did it xpose the silence of convenience adopted by other women members of the ministerial council, it pointed to some veteran BJP stalwarts not being thrilled by the present party leadership’s rolling out a red carpet to those switching sides.

Often to promote essentially personal interests, as Agarwal was too clumsy to camouflage. Surely the BJP leadership should look within to determine if the former Samajwadi-man’s (who has had stints with the Congress and BSP too) lamenting the greater “weight” of someone who “had danced and worked in films” did not apply to at least a couple of BJP MPs too. Agarwal’s offensive remark was made in the presence of the railway minister who formally inducted him into the party: Piyush Goyal declined to caution the newcomer against persisting with his outrageous ways, all the more reason to applaud Mrs Swaraj for upholding basic values, even if she and Jaya Bachchan sit on opposite sides of the aisle.

The frequency and shamelessness with which misogynistic remarks are passed by politicians ~ in and beyond the legislatures ~ testifies to how all political parties are now scraping the bottom of the barrel to attract into their ranks persons with perceived clout.

To recall the several “controversies” which Naresh Agarwal has churned would be too personal. That he is still welcome in parties he has previously flayed points to erosion of principled politics.

His activities have thus far remained confined to UP, where the BJP has established a commanding presence, so it would be a moot point if the party really needs him. More likely the party leadership feels that he could cause a pinprick or two if he linked up with another party.

This is not simply a case of “your enemy’s enemy is your friend”, but proof of an ugly dimension of winning at any cost. Time was when “Aya Ram Gaya Ram” was considered reprimand enough, then the term “defector” came into vogue, more recently “turncoat” has become popular.

Bad enough: but when people who degrade ex-colleagues are deemed heroes in their new avatars it remains a matter of national concern that the likes of Sushma Swaraj are so few and far between.