Kamal Nath said: “I said something, it was not to insult anyone.”
Bhopal:
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath today tried to explain his “article” mockery to former party colleague Imarti Devi, as his archrival and successor Shivraj Chauhan held a fast in protest and wrote to the head of Congress Sonia Gandhi. Shivraj Chouhan, Nath said, “is looking for excuses.” “Kamal Nath does not insult anyone, he will only expose you with the truth,” said the former Chief Minister.
“I said something, it wasn’t to insult anyone,” Nath said. “He just didn’t remember (the person’s) name … this list (in his hand) says item number 1, item number 2. Is this an insult?” he said.
Nath had entered the controversy yesterday while campaigning for the party’s candidate in Dabra, where Imarti Devi represents the BJP.
The candidate for Congress, Nath said, was a “simple person”, unlike his opponent, who is an “element.”
“Why should I take the name (of the opposition candidate)? Everyone knows that person better than I do. What a topic,” Mr. Nath said as the crowd responded, chanting Imarti Devi’s name.
The BJP candidate, who had resigned from Congress in March along with the loyalists, responded by saying that it was not her fault that she was a Dalit who came from a poor family.
“I want to ask Sonia Gandhi, who is also a mother, not to keep those people in her party. If those words are to be used for women, how can a woman move on?” he told the ANI news agency.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan immediately took up the issue, saying the comment showed the “feudal mindset” of Congress.
Today, Mr. Chouhan, State Interior Minister Narottam Mishra, Jyotiraditya Scindia and other party leaders sat for a silent fast. In a letter to Sonia Gandhi, Chouhan has also demanded the immediate removal of Kamal Nath from all party positions.
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