The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday expressed outrage at the remarks by Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh directed at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee dubbing them as “regressive and misogynist” with Ms. Banerjee herself dismissing the remarks.
Speaking to a television channel, Mr. Singh targeted the Trinamool chairperson and said that when the people in her State were suffering, she was busy shaking a leg with Bollywood actors at the inauguration of the 29th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF). The Union Minister said that Ms. Banerjee was “celebrating” (jashna manana) and “dancing” (thumka lagana)“ when allegations of corruption against her government resulted in the stoppage of funds to key schemes.
Several women leaders of the Trinamool Congress from West Bengal, including Industry Minister Shashi Panja and Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya to MPs Mahua Moitra and Sushmita Dev, issued statements condemning the remarks by the Union Minister. “The despicable remarks, which lowered the dignity of the Parliament, were starkly similar to PM Narendra Modi’s mocking ‘Didi O Didi’ remark in the run-up to the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections,” the Trinamool said in a press statement.
Ms. Bhattacharya and Ms. Panja held a press conference at the State Assembly premises issuing a strong condemnation to the remarks and added that the utterance reeked of misogyny. “Multiple celebrities were present during the inauguration of the KIFF and they requested Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to match steps with them. But the Union Minister twisted the moment, and made misogynistic remarks based on what the Prime Minister has also shown in the past,” Ms. Panja said.
MPs to protest in Parliament
The women MPs of Trinamool have decided to stage demonstrations in Parliament against the remarks of the BJP leader directed at the Trinamool supremo.
“Mr. Singh said that the reason we celebrate in Bengal is because we do not have to put up with the likes of you. With the misogyny and the patriarchy which is practised by you and the BJP,” Mahua Moitra said. She added that the people of Bengal have not elected her once or twice, but three times and added that the “reason for our jashn is to live in a State like Bengal where BJP has no footprints”.
Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev said that the BJP leadership simply cannot swallow the fact that they repeatedly lose to her popularity and her good governance. “That is what PM Modi and the BJP party cannot accept. The comments made against the only woman CM of the country strengthens our party and our leader. The way Singh re-enacted what happened in KIFF is not just a shame for Bengal but the entire country,” Ms. Dev said.
CM’s reaction
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that she had heard what Mr. Singh had said and remarked that she was not dancing but just trying to match steps with the actors. Ms. Banerjee was joined by big names from Bollywood like Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha and Mahesh Bhatt at the inaugural event of KIFF in Kolkata on Tuesday.
“I don’t know how to dance, I dance with tribals to support them,” Ms. Banerjee said while speaking to reporters before departing for an official trip to north Bengal. “They [Bollywood actors] pulled my hand and asked me to join, so I obliged. We respect Bollywood so this is just a step, nothing else, but it’s good to meet everybody,” the Trinamool chief said.
