Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Sunday referred to Dalit leader from the BJP Imarti Devi as ‘item’ at a political rally. The Congress supporters present in the crowd were found hooting and cheering at the despicable remark from the close aide of Rahul Gandhi.
#WATCH: Our candidate is not like her… what's her name? (people shout Imarti Devi, who is former State Minister) You know her better and should have warned me earlier… ye kya item hai: Former Madhya Pradesh CM & Congress leader Kamal Nath pic.twitter.com/eW76f2z8gU
— ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2020
“Wo kya hai… main uska naam kyun lun… aapko mujhe starak karna chahiye tha kya item hai… (Who is she… what’s her name? You all should have warned me… what an item!),” Kamal Nath said as the crowd of Congress supporters yelled Imarti Devi’s name. The Dalit leader filed her nomination for the upcoming by-polls in Madhya Pradesh from the Dabra Assembly Constituency, which is reserved for the SC community.
The BJP has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission over the indecent comment made by Kamal Nath against Imarti Devi. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Kamal Nath should withdraw his remarks and issue an apology over the same. “Kamal Nath! Imrati Devi is the name of the daughter of a poor farmer who started working as a public servant in the village and today she is supporting the nation building. The Congress called me ‘hungry-naked’ and for a woman using a word like ‘item’ has again exposed your feudalist mentality,” he said.
BJP state general secretary Bhagwandas Sabnani stated, “We have lodged a complaint against Congress leader Kamal Nath referring `item’ word to Imarti Devi and insulting the women. We have demanded to put a ban on Nath’s political rallies and will also approach the National Women Commission and Nation Commission for Scheduled Castes to lodge a case and take appropriate action.”
