Shivraj Chouhan leads BJP leaders in silent protest against Kamal Nath

Led by Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP staff throughout the state on Monday noticed a two-hour ‘Maun vrat’ (observance of silence) in opposition to the “item” comment utilized by Congress state chief Kamal Nath in opposition to state cupboard minister Imarti Devi. 

CM Chouhan additionally urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to sentence the act and take away state Congress chief Kamal Nath from all occasion posts for his remarks in opposition to Imarti Devi, the state’s girls and youngster growth minister and a Dalit girl.

The protesters have been led by Chouhan in Bhopal, Rajya Sabha member Jyotiraditya Scindia in Indore and union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and state BJP president VD Sharma in Gwalior.

The occasion staff held placards of their arms, condemning the comment, demanding an apology from Nath and motion in opposition to him.  

 Nath was addressing an election assembly in Dabra (SC) legislative meeting constituency on Sunday within the Gwalior district, which is witnessing a bypoll, when he made the comment whereas evaluating virtues of the Congress candidate Suresh Raje with these of the rival candidate Imarti Devi from the BJP.  

 Nath stated, “Suresh Raje is a simple man. He is down to earth. He is not like the person. What is the name of the person?” As crowd responded to Nath’s query citing Imarti Devi’s title, Kamal Nath referred to as her an “item”, saying, “Why should I name her? You know her better than I know. You should have warned me. Ye kya item hai…”  

 Chouhan stated in Bhopal on Monday, “My Dalit sister Imarti Devi was insulted by the state Congress president Kamal Nath but what is more painful is that he is not remorseful for his act. Instead, he is trying to justify his indecent remark shamelessly.” 

Defending Nath, his media coordinator stated it was a case of misrepresenting issues to achieve benefit for the bypolls, and reminded BJP of the “maal” jibe by its leaders. 

“The BJP is trying to create a controversy by misinterpreting a word for its political gains in bypolls. During an election meeting in Sumaoli constituency union minister said Congress didn’t have candidates, hence it took ‘rejected maal’ of BJP. Is this not an insult to women given the fact those from BJP who joined the Congress include women leaders too? For this, the union minister and entire BJP should tender an apology,”  stated Narendra Saluja, Kamal Nath’s media coordinator. 

In his letter to Sonia Gandhi, Chouhan stated, “I thought being a woman you would take notice of the news on insult to cabinet minister and scheduled caste woman leader Imarti Devi and take action against state Congress president Kamal Nath while condemning the indecent remark but you have not done it so far…She broke down while sharing her pain. Elections come and go but insult to a Dalit woman like this brings a bad name to the entire political arena.”

He stated, “I request you to condemn the indecent remark and remove your party’s former chief minister Kamal Nath from all the party posts to teach a lesson to leaders of your party who insult women. I wish to add that if you keep silent on the insult it would be considered that it has your consent.”

In Indore, Scindia noticed silence with a placard in his hand which learn: “Mata bahano ka jo kare apmaan, Shastra kahen wo hai shaitan (Holy scriptures say those who insult mother and sisters are devils).”

 

Scindia stated, “Kamal Nath has insulted the entire scheduled castes and Dalit community by calling Imarti Devi ‘item’. By making such an indecent remark he has brought a bad name to Madhya Pradesh.”

 

Demanding motion from Sonia Gandhi, Scindia stated, “If she doesn’t take action, people will come to know as to what is the difference between what Congress preaches and what it practises.”