KOLKATA: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday apologised for state minister Akhil Giri‘s comments about President Droupadi Murmu‘s looks and said TMC condemned the statement, which was “not in keeping with the party’s culture.”
“We respect the President of India. She is a highly respected lady. We condemn the statement made by Giri; what he said was wrong. TMC has condemned his remark and Giri has been cautioned. TMC doesn’t endorse Giri’s opinion and I personally respect President Murmu. She is a very sweet lady,” Mamata said.
“I apologise for Giri’s remark. He has made a mistake. He has apologised. The party too has apologised,” Mamata stated.
This was Mamata’s first response to the row after Giri’s remarks made in Nandigram last week. Several TMC members have condemned Giri’s statement even as BJP has politicised the issue, calling TMC “anti-tribal”. She also questioned the “double standards” inherent in BJP’s kicking up a row about Giri’s remarks while staying silent when one of its state leaders said TMC tribal leader and minister Birbaha Hansda “was fit to stay under his shoes” or that Giri looked like a “jungle crow”.
“We respect the President of India. She is a highly respected lady. We condemn the statement made by Giri; what he said was wrong. TMC has condemned his remark and Giri has been cautioned. TMC doesn’t endorse Giri’s opinion and I personally respect President Murmu. She is a very sweet lady,” Mamata said.
“I apologise for Giri’s remark. He has made a mistake. He has apologised. The party too has apologised,” Mamata stated.
This was Mamata’s first response to the row after Giri’s remarks made in Nandigram last week. Several TMC members have condemned Giri’s statement even as BJP has politicised the issue, calling TMC “anti-tribal”. She also questioned the “double standards” inherent in BJP’s kicking up a row about Giri’s remarks while staying silent when one of its state leaders said TMC tribal leader and minister Birbaha Hansda “was fit to stay under his shoes” or that Giri looked like a “jungle crow”.