West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee apologised on Monday for the derogatory remarks made by Bengal State Minister for Prisons Akhil Giri against President Draupadi Murmu. During a news conference in Nabanna on Monday, Mamata Banerjee said, “The President is a very good woman. Akhil has done wrong. I apologise. I apologise on behalf of my MLA. I am sorry.”
Mamata Banerjee said Akhil Giri has been admonished following his disrespectful statements about the president. “We all respect the president. She is a highly respected lady. Akhil Giri should not have said this. We condemn this. The party has cautioned him. We do not support this opinion. It has been conveyed to him and he should not say anything on it further. Akhil has done injustice,” Mamata further said.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader offered an apology only days after West Bengal minister Akhil Giri was caught on camera making remarks about the President’s looks and ridiculing the Bharatiya Janata Party in a viral video (BJP).
The TMC Minister for Correctional Administration made the misogynist remarks during a public address in Nandigram town in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal.
In a video that went viral on social media, he was heard saying, “He (Suvendu Adhikari) claimed that I don’t look good. How beautiful is Suvendu? We don’t judge people by their appearance. We respect the office of the President (Draupadi Murmu). But have you looked at her face?”
After coming under the line of fire, the TMC legislator tried to rationalise his remarks in the name of an apology. “I respect President. I mentioned the post and made a comparison to respond to Suvendu Adhikari, I didn’t take any name,” Giri said.
“He had said Akhil Giri looks bad in his appearance. I’m a minister and took oath for office. If something is said against me, it’s an insult to Constitution. I said ‘President,’ I didn’t take anyone’s name,” he said.
Following outrage by netizens and from political quarters, the Trinamool Congress was forced to issue a clarification and condemn the remarks of its minister.
In a tweet, TMC said, “We have the utmost respect for the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu. Our party strongly condemns the unfortunate remarks made by MLA Akhil Giri and clarifies that we do not endorse such statements.”
“In the era of women’s empowerment, such misogyny is unacceptable,” the tweet further added. However, despite mouthing platitudes and widespread anger, the Trinamool Congress failed to take any action against Akhil Giri.
This is not the first time that President Droupadi Murmu has faced offensive comments from India’s opposition parties. Congress, India’s main opposition, has repeatedly tried to attack the incumbent President ever since her name was proposed for the post.