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‘Distasteful,’ says TMC as Bengal BJP chief’s ‘bermuda’ dig at CM Mamata goes viral
Dilip Ghosh took a dig at Banerjee, who is wheelchair-bound because of her ankle injury at East Midnapore district’s Nandigram on March 10, soon after filing her nomination. She is contesting against her protégé-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari.
Known for making controversial remarks, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh on Wednesday drew the ire of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a large number of netizens by suggesting that chief minister Mamata Banerjee should wear Bermuda shorts so that people can clearly see her injured left leg.
Ghosh took a dig at Banerjee, who is campaigning in a wheelchair because of her ankle injury at East Midnapore district’s Nandigram on March 10, soon after filing her nomination. She is contesting against her protégé-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari.
After the March 10 incident, Banerjee alleged that some people intentionally closed the door of her SUV while she was standing on the footboard to wave at a crowd. Several BJP leaders questioned the nature of the injury and called it a “drama” to secure public sympathy before the elections.
On Wednesday, Ghosh, while addressing a rally in Purulia district, said, “Her plaster was replaced with crepe bandage. But she is still showing her leg to everyone. She is wearing her saree in such a way that one leg is visible while the other is not. I have never seen anyone wearing a saree like this. If she has to show her leg then she can wear Bermudas so that people can see clearly.”
The TMC tweeted a 14-second video clip in which Ghosh could be heard making the statement.
“Such a distasteful remark is expected of Dilip Babu and nobody else. A remark against a woman chief minister proves that the BJP does not respect women. The mothers and sisters of Bengal will give a befitting reply on May 2,” tweeted the TMC, tagging Ghosh and the Bengal BJP’s twitter handle.
Samik Bhattacharya, chief spokesperson of the BJP’s Bengal unit said, “A lot of remarks are made during election campaigns. Ghosh’s statement is being taken in a wrong way. Nobody has any intention to insult the chief minister.”
Ghosh made no statement on this throughout the day.
Banerjee, in almost all her election speeches, has alleged that women are not safe in BJP-ruled states. She has also alleged that women in the BJP are not safe either.
The TMC has focussed on women in its campaign. The main slogan of the ruling party says Bengal wants only its daughter.
The BJP, too, focussed on women in its election manifesto released on March 21. The party has promised 33% job reservation, free rides in public transport and free school and college education for all women if it comes to power in Bengal.
