Punasa/ Khandwa: Addressing a public meeting at Punasa, under Mandhata assembly seat, ex-CM Kamal Nath tried to clarify his ‘item’ comment, which has created a political uproar in the state.
Seeking support for Congress candidate Uttampal Singh, he said that he was in the habit of forgetting names. “As I was unaware of the last Congress MLA from this seat or the party candidate this time, I used the word ‘item’,” he said. Continuing in the same vein, he said that even today two ‘items’ were present on the stage, one is Rajnarayan Singh and another is Ajay Singh.
He then went on to accuse CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan of making a political issue out of his comment merely to shift public discourse from main issues of joblessness.
Nath also clarified the intention behind the “item” jibe while addressing a poll meeting in Dabra, where the Congress is up against Imarti Devi of BJP. He said that he only meant that the Congress candidate was a simple person unlike his opponent who was an “item”.
The term, ‘item’, is used in Hindi as a derogatory slang to objectify women by showing them as objects of desire or as women with loose morals. BJP and other political parties have been demanding that Nath must apologise over it.
He also took Shivraj Singh Chouhan and other BJP leaders to task and said that the BJP formed the government using unlawful practices and horse-trading. He said that the BJP had been demanding that he give account of his 15-month government but “what about BJP’s 15-year rule in state.”
Under the BJP government, corruption, adulteration crime against women was at all-time high. He said that the state had the infamous No 1 tag and BJP must answer this.
“I’m not a Chaiwala or a Maharaj and I don’t want to say anything about this,” Nath said.
Meanwhile, recounting his 15-month government achievements in the state, Nath said that the Congress government waived farm loans, provided electricity at Rs 100 only, took concrete step to make state an industrial hub.
MLA’s comment spells trouble for Cong
Congress is trying to corner BJP leaders over death of 73-year-old Jeevan Singh Narware from Utawad village ahead of Jyotiraditya Scindia’s public meeting at Mundi. However, Congress MLA Sachin Birla’s statement could spell trouble for the party.
Birla during a public meeting at Punasa said that at the behest of Nath, we came with help of Rs 1 lakh to the kin of deceased.
Earlier, Birla along with former MLA and Congress observer Satyanarayan Patel and Raghu Parmar visited bereaved family and expressed condolence. They presented financial help of Rs 1 lakh on behalf of state Congress committee.
Contacted Punasa sub-divisional magistrate Chandar Singh Solanki said that he came to know about the statement and if somebody said that Rs 1 lakh was given on the death of a person, relevant action would be taken as per the model code of conduct.
Nath, other Congress leaders pay obeisance before Omkareshwar Jyotirling at Omkareshwar village
Before the public meeting at Punasa, former chief minister Kamal Nath and other Congress leaders paid obeisance before Omkareshwar Jyotirling at Omkareshwar village.
Kamal Nath performed “Abhishek” there and spend about 15 to 20 minutes at the temple.
During his stay here in the holy shrine, he maintained a distance from the media persons to avoid media queries on his controversial remark on his former woman colleague Imarti Devi who switched over to the BJP.
Addressing a poll meeting in Dabra, where the Congress is up against Imarti Devi of BJP, Kamal Nath said his party candidate was a simple person, unlike his opponent who is an 'item'.
