Kamal Nath said yesterday: “I just didn’t remember the name (of the person).”
Bhopal:
Kamal Nath from Congress refused to apologize today for his “Item” comment directed at Imarti Devi of the BJP even after the express disapproval of party leader Rahul Gandhi. “It is Rahul Gandhi’s opinion,” was his reply when asked by reporters about Gandhi’s comment on the growing dispute.
“I have already clarified the context in which I made that statement … Why should I apologize when I did not intend to insult anyone? If someone felt insulted, I have already regretted it,” Nath told reporters.
“Kamal Nath ji is from my party, but personally, I don’t like the kind of language he used,” Gandhi told reporters today amid uproar over the issue. “I don’t appreciate it, no matter who it is. It’s unfortunate,” he told reporters while speaking for the first time from his new constituency, Kerala’s Wayanand.
Yesterday, Mr. Nath had tried to explain the problem, saying that “article” is a term in common use everywhere, including the parliament, and is not an insult of any kind.
“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?” Kamal Nath told reporters about the woman who had been a minister in his government for 15 months.
“I didn’t say anything disrespectful. I respect women. If anyone thinks this is disrespectful, I’m sorry.”
Imarti Devi was also among the 22 members of the judiciary who left the party with Jyotiraditya Scindia, leading to the collapse of the congressional government in March.
Nath had entered the controversy on Sunday while campaigning for party candidate Suresh Raje, who is competing from Dabra near Gwalior against Imarti Devi.
“Why should I take the name (of the opposition candidate)? Everyone knows that person better than I do. What a topic,” Mr. Nath had said.
Although the BJP and the candidate have demanded the expulsion of Nath from Congress, the comment has also come to the attention of the National Commission for Women, which has asked the main leader for an explanation.
In her appeal to the head of Congress, Sonia Gandhi, Imarti Devi has questioned whether she would have tolerated the statement if it had been made about her daughter.
“I want to appeal to Sonia Gandhi, who is also a mother, not to keep those people in her party. Will she tolerate it if someone says something like that about her daughter?” he had told the ANI news agency.
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