On Friday, December 24, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kirti Azad issued an ‘apology’ over his tweet which made insulting remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi without really apologising for insulting the Prime Minister. This comes after the TMC distanced itself from Azad’s disparaging remarks about PM Modi’s traditional attire which he wore during his Meghalaya visit.
Taking to Twitter, Kirti Azad in a series of tweets said that his previous tweet was misconstrued and that he has immense respect and pride for India’s diverse culture.
“My recent tweet was misconstrued. It hurt sentiments of the people. To them I say sorry. have immense respect & pride for our diverse cultures. I regret the hurt caused by my unintentional remark. I reiterate my pledge to work to uphold our constitutional values always,” Azad tweeted.
My recent tweet was misconstrued. It hurt sentiments of the people. To them I say sorry. have immense respect & pride for our diverse cultures. I regret the hurt caused by my unintentional remark. I reiterate my pledge to work to uphold our constitutional values always
— Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) December 23, 2022
The “soldier of TMC,” however, did not apparently apologise for derogatory remarks he made about PM Modi.
“As a soldier of the party, I have always followed the path laid down by our Constitution which calls for respecting and honouring our diversity. Anything that appears like an inadvertent digression from that path is absolutely regrettable,” another tweet by the former cricketer read.
As a soldier of the party, I have always followed the path laid down by our Constitution which calls for respecting and honouring our diversity. Anything that appears like an inadvertent digression from that path is absolutely regrettable.
— Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) December 23, 2022
Notably, on Wednesday, Kirti Azad tweeted a photoshopped image of PM Modi wearing a traditional attire of Meghalaya during his visit to Shillong to insinuate that PM Modi was wearing a woman’s attire.
In his now deleted tweet, Azad also wrote a derogatory caption which read, “ “It’s neither male nor female. It’s just the priest of fashion.”
Apparently, the TMC leader called the Prime Minister to be a transgender person or a cross-dresser.
As we reported earlier, the image that Azad shared was photoshopped and that two images were combined to create the fake image.
The official Twitter handle of the Trinamool Congress, posted a tweet distancing itself from Azad’s tweet mocking PM Modi.
“We uphold India’s diversity & respect the vibrant culture of our nation. Proudly, we celebrate the ethnic traditions of diverse people and strive to empower them. We do not support @KirtiAzad’s comments & strongly condemn it. His remarks do not reflect the party’s views,” a tweet by the official Twitter handle of TMC read.
Azad’s tweet sparked outrage on Twitter with netizens slamming Azad for stooping to a new low just to express his hatred for PM Modi. Besides, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya also called out Azad’s derogatory tweet.
Meghalaya CM Pema Khandu quoted Kirti Azad’s tweet (now deleted) and called Azad’s “mockery of the rich tribal culture and heritage as contemptuous and abominable and also an affront on the dignity of womanhood.”
It is pertinent to mention that PM Modi’s image used in the doctored image is from his recent visit to Meghalaya on Sunday.
On Sunday, December 18, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a North Eastern Council (NEC) meeting in Shillong. The meeting was held to mark the North Eastern Council’s formal inauguration in 1972 and its golden jubilee. During this program, PM Modi was dressed in Khasi attire.
