PATNA/GUNA: A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s graphical description of copulation in the state Assembly while explaining the state’s drop in fertility rate drew national outrage, he offered his apology and walked back on his remarks on Wednesday. “If my words were wrong, I apologise. If anyone got hurt, I take back my words,” Nitish told media persons.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the blistering attack against Nitish without naming him at an election rally in Guna in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh. Claiming the remarks were extremely disrespectful to women, Modi said they came from the head of one of the allies of the Opposition INDIA bloc. “But what was more shocking was that not a single word has been uttered by any other constituent of the INDIA bloc condemning it. How will people with such blurred vision ensure the respect and honour of women,” he wondered.
In the state Assembly, BJP members created ruckus demanding the CM’s resignation, forcing adjournment of the House. The situation was similar when Nitish went to the legislative council. It, too, had to be adjourned.
In Bihar, a complaint was lodged against Nitish’s remarks in a Muzaffarpur court. It would be taken up for hearing on November 25. He has been booked under sections 354D (stalking), 504 (intentional insult), 505 (with intent to incite any class or community), 509 (intent to insult woman’s modesty) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 67 of the IT Act.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma, too, lashed out at Nitish, saying his statement was like a “dialogue from a C-grade movie.” She demanded strong action from the Bihar Speaker against the chief minister. In a letter to Bihar Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary, Sharma said,
“The Commission strongly condemns and protests the use of such derogatory, vulgar statements made by persons holding responsible positions which shows extreme disrespect to women.” Demanding that the Speaker expunge the remarks, Sharma said the worst part was that male MLAs sitting in the Assembly were laughing at it. Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi hit back at Sharma, accusing her of being “biased and politically motivated”.
Improper remark, says rabri devi
RJD chief Lalu Yadav’s wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi on Wednesday said Nitish Kumar’s remarks were not proper “but we should let bygones be bygones since he has apologised”. She is a member of the legislative council. “Let the BJP members not act too self-righteously. Their party rules Manipur where women were paraded naked. The state continues to be on fire and their leadership has been unconcerned,” she said