Tuesday, 20 October 2020 | PNS | New Delhi
The row over veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath referring to Imarti Devi, his former party colleague and now a Minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP Government, as an “item” escalated on Monday with his refusal to tender an apology for his statement, claiming he did not insult anyone.
The National Women’s Commission “strongly condemned the irresponsible and disparaging statement made by Nath, Leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly”. It sought an explanation from the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and forwarded the matter to the Election Commission for further action.
Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani slammed Nath for trying to justify his utterance and the Gandhi family for remaining silent while Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Jyotiraditya Scindia sat on a “silent dharna” in Bhopal. Chouhan appealed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to immediately remove Nath from all party posts.
Devi is the State’s Women and Child Development Minister and was one of the 22 MLAs loyal to Scindia and who resigned in March, bringing down the Nath-led Government in Madhya Pradesh. She subsequently joined the BJP and is now a party candidate for the bypoll in Dabra, a seat reserved for Scheduled Caste candidate.
“I said something… it wasn’t to insult anyone… I just didn’t remember the (person’s) name…this list (in his hand) says item no.1, item no.2, is this an insult? Shivraj is looking for excuses, Nath doesn’t insult anyone, he’ll only expose you with truth,” Nath brazened it out on Monday.
Addressing a rally in Dabra on Sunday, the Congress leader had allegedly called Devi an “item” leading to a massive backlash ahead of the keenly-contested bypolls to be held on November 3.
“Suresh Raje is our candidate and is not like her… What’s her name? You know her better and should have warned me earlier… What an item!,” Nath had said in Hindi.
While Devi said she was targeted for being a Dalit, Union Minister Irani said, “I can’t find any justification that Nath (former MP CM) can give for using such derogatory word against a woman political leader. I don’t think Gandhi family will take action against him. Be it Nath or Digvijaya Singh, these are the people who keep fire burning in Gandhi family’s kitchen.”
For their part, while Chouhan held a two-hour protest in Bhopal, Scindia and other party members protested in Indore. The BJP has also complained about Nath to the Election Commission.
“With your cheap statement, Congress’ crooked and despicable mentality has come to the fore again. You have not just disrespected Devi, but each and every girl and sister of Gwalior-Chambal region,” Chouhan tweeted.
He also slammed Nath for his “feudal” mindset. “Devi is the daughter of a farmer who began doing labour in her village and has since emerged as a public representative in building the nation. First, Congress called me ‘hungry and ill-clad’ and now she has been called an ‘item’. This shows the feudal mindset of Nath,” the Chief Minister said.
