WB minister makes uncouth & depraved remark on President Murmu; Women's minister feet away

The Trinamool Congress Party was left gasping for an answers after one of its seniormost leaders and a prominent minister in the state government made the most depraved, sexist, and hateful comment ever against a President of India. Droupadi Murmu, the first tribal woman to hold this exalted post, was berated in the basest of language at a public rally in Nandigram in Southern Bengal.

President Murmu insulted; TMC distances itself

TMC leader and Bengal fisheries minister Akhil Giri while addressing the rally and making a verbal attack on BJP leader and TMC’s bete noire Suvendu Adhikari, dragged in President Murmu’s name totally out of nowhere and berated her in a most uncouth manner, mocking her as he spoke. “He (Suvendu) says, I am not good looking. (Laughs) How beautiful you are! Good looking... We don't judge looks. We respect the chair of your President (Rashtrapati). How does your President (Rashtrapati) look ?"

Appearing on The Debate with Arnab on Republic, the TMC attempted to disown the remarks by its minister Akhil Giri. The party’s spokesperson Dr Shashi Panja, the Minister of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare in the Mamata government, said “This comment is not endorsed by the party. We don't endorse such comments. It is for the minister to take responsibility. We hold the highest regard for the President of India." However, her words were rendered empty when it transpired she was present at the event sitting feet away from where the misogyny spouted.

‘Trinamool is all for it’

Activist Brinda Adige demanded that the TMC minister should be sacked, “Reprehensible speech. Nothing personal when he is sitting in the middle of the public place with all the crowd listening to him. How dare you say it is personal? If it was personal then he should have been sitting inside his house. Not out on the streets.”   

West Bengal BJP leader Shatorupa attacked Kunal Ghosh, State General Secretary & Spokesperson of TMC, who was also present at the gathering where the comment was made. She said, “It was not just a speech at a podium. He was at a crowd and he (Akhil Giri) was gesticulating, and Kunal Ghosh being the chief spokesperson of Trinamool was absolutely at it, his body language, the way he was smiling encouraging Giri, Trinamool is all for it.”

IMAGE: Republic World, ANI