The comments about Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, made by Bharatiya Janata Party national vice-president Dilip Ghosh at a recent media conclave here, were “misogynistic”, the party declared.
A party delegation met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday with a deputation regarding the issue.
“We hope that you will uphold the Constitution of India through the precepts of your office and condemn these remarks. We also demand an unconditional apology from Dilip Ghosh, to ensure that the women of India feel safe, and may never have to endure such behaviour,” the party mentioned in its deputation. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a Member of Parliament from the party, stated that the delegation came seeking strong action.
This is the most recent in the series of verbal tussles between the ruling party and the opposing party in West Bengal. The deputation against Ghosh came immediately after the state BJP took offence to Trinamool Congress member Mahua Moitra’s comment about Goddess Kali, with the opposing party leaders filing police complaints in different parts of the state.
Days after dissociating itself from Moitra’s remarks—and condemning it—Ghosh, who is also the party spokesperson, said on Thursday that his party didn’t support any portrayal of the Goddess that could hurt the religious sentiments of her worshippers.
Ghosh, however, added that the way different people worshipped the Goddess was not what the party would meddle with. He also pointed out that the BJP had no right to take offence as its national vice president (Ghosh), on an earlier occasion, had questioned the ancestry of Goddess Durga.
Speaking at a public function, earlier on Thursday, the chief minister—although not directly referring to the political storm around Moitra’s remarks—said, “We (people in general) have a tendency to focus on negative talk with an intent on how to generate controversy.” She said that while working there could be mistakes, and mistakes could be rectified, and only those who work commit mistakes.
Banerjee also alleged that the state was being “economically” blockaded for political reasons—in context to the Centre freezing funds for the 100-day rural job scheme for around six months now. She reiterated that the Centre’s funds include collection from the state.