Kolkata: “I respect the Structure of this nation and the President of India who safeguards it. I expressed my pent-up anger for going through common criticism. I specific my apology.” With these phrases, West Bengal minister Akhil Giri sought apology for his misogynistic touch upon President Droupadi Murmu.
The Minister-of-State (unbiased cost) Division of Correctional Administration was caught on digicam insulting the President on 11 November whereas addressing a political programme in Nandigram.
“He [Suvendu Adhikari] stated that I’m not handsome. How lovely is he? We don’t decide anybody by their look. We respect the workplace of the President, however how does our president look?” Giri stated amidst thundering applause from Trinamool Congress (TMC) employees in Nandigram.
Coming underneath hearth from the opposition events, together with the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP), the TMC took to Twitter on Saturday to sentence the minister’s assertion which went viral on social media.
“Our occasion strongly condemns the unlucky remarks made by MLA Akhil Giri and clarifies that we don’t endorse such statements. Within the period of ladies’s empowerment, such misogyny is unacceptable,” it tweeted.
A trusted lieutenant of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, Giri started his journey in politics within the early seventies with Congress’ scholar wing Chhatra Parishad just like the TMC supremo herself.
He sided with Mamata in her tussle with then Congress state chief and occasion heavyweight Soumen Mitra. Giri was one of many first Congress leaders from Purba Medinipur to hitch Mamata when she launched the TMC in 1998.
Although he misplaced within the 2006 Meeting elections from Ramnagar, Giri is a three-time MLA from the constituency in Purba Medinipur. The 63-year-old is the sitting MLA from Ramnagar.
Giri, who was married to BJP chief Suvendu Adhikari’s late aunt, is archrival of the Chief of Opposition. Mamata gave him the duty to strengthen the TMC in Suvendu’s bastion after the latter switched his allegiance to the BJP in 2020.
Recognized for his organisational expertise, Giri had labored underneath the shadow of the Adhikari dynasty in Purba Medinipur. In his TMC days, Suvendu by no means shared a superb rapport with Giri.
After his rival’s stature rose within the district following the acrimonious exit two years in the past, Suvendu started calling Giri a “half pant minister” to mock his MoS put up within the Mamata Cupboard.
After guaranteeing TMC’s victory in 9 out of 16 meeting segments of East Medinipur in 2021, Giri was given a ministerial put up and extra cost within the district the place the BJP has grown. His son, Suprakash, can also be a preferred Trinamool youth chief in Purba Medinipur.
In the meanwhile, the BJP has been fast to tackle the minister who has been a thorn within the flesh of its prime chief in his stronghold. Considered one of its MPs, Saumitra Khan, has already written to the Nationwide Fee for Ladies (NCW) looking for applicable motion in opposition to the Bengal minister.
“We strongly condemn Mamata Banerjee’s occasion for such distasteful feedback by her minister in opposition to India’s first tribal girl president. Akhil Giri has precipitated immense disrespect to all of the tribals on this nation,” West Bengal BJP chief and MP Sukanta Majumdar advised ThePrint.
On its half, the Trinamool sought to include the harm brought on by Giri’s assertion however added that the minister was focused by the primary opposition occasion. “Akhil Giri is Suvendu’s father’s age however that didn’t cease him from insulting Akhil Giri and saying he appears like a crow, Suvendu is the one who triggered Akhil. Akhil Giri fell within the entice,” TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh advised ThePrint.
Political analyst Biswanath Chakravarty advised ThePrint the sexist remark has dented Trinamool’s picture throughout the nation. “BJP took this chance to assault the TMC. Mamata Banerjee, with a view to maintain the occasion’s stand clear, ought to instantly sack the minister and ship out a transparent message that such remarks gained’t be tolerated,” stated the professor from Rabindra Bharati College’s political science division.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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