'Learn to love MP & its people': CM Shivraj replies to Kamal Nath's letter on 'item' jibe

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday advised Congress leader Kamal Nath to 'love Madhya Pradesh' and its people after the latter stirred controversy over his ‘item’ jibe against state minister Imarti Devi. Responding to Kamal Nath's letter in which he had accused the CM and the ruling BJP of creating a controversy around his 'item' remark, Chouhan said people of the state are trying to accept him even though he is not from MP.

'Learn to love Madhya Pradesh and its people'

"Kamal Nath ji, learn to love Madhya Pradesh and its people. Even though you are not from Madhya Pradesh, people here are trying to accept you. Therefore it is your duty to think of the interests of the state's residents," MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in its reply to Kamal Nath's letter.

Chouhan further slammed the former CM for allegedly looting the state for his own benefits. He said, "this should never happen that you make Madhya Pradesh a source of loot, and serve your own interests and that of your party. I hope you will consider this".

READ | WATCH: Arnab Goswami confronts ex-MP CM Kamal Nath on his sexist jibe at Imarti Devi

Kamal Nath writes to CM Chouhan

Earlier in his letter to CM Chouhan, Kamal Nath had claimed he had made no disrespectful comments at the rally in Dabra yet the BJP was spreading lies over it.

"In the rally at Dabra I made no disrespectful comments, then too you forwarded lies and the word which you are referring to has many meanings, many definitions, but due to fault in your and your party's thoughts are defining it as per your whim and spreading lies and are trying to mislead the public," Kamal Nath's letter read.

Nath asserted that the state's voters knew that it was another gambit by the BJP to retain power by taking the discourse of the elections away from the main issues. Furthermore, the Election Commission of India had earlier sought a detailed report from MP Chief Electoral Officer over Nath's item remark at an election rally made against BJP leader Imarti Devi.

READ | Rekha Sharma slams Kamal Nath for sexist 'item' jibe; terms it 'disgraceful, demeaning'

Kamal Nath stirs controversy

On October 18 while addressing a rally in Dabra, campaigning for the MP by-elections Nath had referred to MP Minister and BJP candidate Imarti Devi as an 'item'. He said, "Suresh Raje is our candidate. He is a simple person. He is not like her. Why should I even take her name? You know her better than me. I should have warned you in advance. She is such an item". While Kamal Nath expressed a conditional apology on Monday, he, however, maintained that the word 'item' was commonly used in Parliament and state legislatures. 

Adding further he said that BJP was trying to mislead people by raking up such an issue. However, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi opposed of Nath's remark and stressed that no politician from any party should treat women with disrespect. When questioned about Gandhi's reaction, Nath refused to back down from his stance. He reiterated that he had already explained the context in which he made the 'item' remark. Meanwhile, the Congress party has not initiated any disciplinary action against the former MP CM. 

READ | MP CM urges Kamal Nath to tender 'honest' apology, slams attempt to justify sexist remark

READ | Kamal Nath won't apologise for 'item' jibe despite Rahul Gandhi's rebuke; brazens it out

(With ANI inputs)