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6 leaders who apologised for deeds of their party colleagues
Mamata Banerjee has tendered an apology on behalf of her cabinet colleague Akhil Giri, who came under fire for his controversial remarks on President Droupadi Murmu. Here’s a look at five more instances where political leaders apologised for their cadres’ deeds
After intense pressure from her political opponents, West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday tendered an apology on behalf of her cabinet colleague Akhil Giri, who came under fire for his controversial remarks on President Droupadi Murmu during a speech at Nandigram, West Bengal on Friday.
Banerjee, while condemning Giri’s comments, admitted that “he has done wrong”. But, this is not the first time a party supremo has come ahead to apologise on behalf of their party colleagues. Here’s a look at five more instances where political leaders apologised for their cadres’ deeds.
Kanimozhi apologises to Khushbu
On October 27, 2022, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) member of Parliament (MP) Kanimozhi apologised for an unparliamentary comment made by her party’s spokesperson Saidai Sadiq concerning Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Khushbu Sundar. Sadiq had allegedly said that all actors-turned-BJP leaders are “items”. Sundar, tagging Kanimozhi, said on Twitter, “When men abuse women, it just shows what kind of upbringing they have had and the toxic environment they were brought up in. These men insult the womb of a woman. Such men call themselves followers of Kalaignar. Is this new Dravidian model under CM Stalin’s rule?” After Sundar’s tweet gained traction, Kanimozhi apologised and said her party does not condone such behaviour.
Kejriwal apologises to Bikram Singh Majithia
In March 2018, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had to tender an apology to former Punjab minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia after the latter filed a defamation case against Kejriwal and AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashish Khetan for falsely linking Majithia to drug trafficking and tarnishing his image. Kejriwal’s apology letter said, “I hereby withdraw all my statements and allegations made against you and your father and apologise for the same. The damage caused to your esteem, the hurt caused to your family, friends and well-wishers, and the loss caused to you is regretted.”
Advani apologises to Sonia Gandhi
In 2011, BJP leader L K Advani had to apologise to then Congress president Sonia Gandhi after a BJP task force report, named ‘Indian Black Money Abroad in Secret Banks and Tax Havens: Second Report of the Task Force’, falsely accused Sonia and her late husband and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi of having Swiss Bank accounts. The BJP alleged that Rajiv Gandhi had 2.5 billion Swiss francs in his name in an unnamed Swiss bank. While apologising to the Congress president, Advani expressed regret for their names being mentioned in the task force report.
Sharad Pawar apologises on behalf of Ajit Pawar
In April, 2013, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar apologised on behalf of his nephew and then Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar . Ajit Pawar, replying to a drought-affected farmer, who was on a hunger strike demanding release of more water from the Ujani Dam, said, “From where will we give him water? Should we urinate in dams?” Apologising on behalf of his nephew, Sharad Pawar tweeted, “I duly apologise on behalf of Deputy CM of Maharashtra for the unwanted comment that he made.”
Tejashwi Yadav apologises on behalf of Lalu Prasad Yadav
Ahead of the 2020 Bihar assembly elections, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav apologised on behalf of his father and party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav. “I seek forgiveness if our government made some mistakes during its 15-year rule,” he said. Lalu Prasad Yadav, among others, was accused of laundering money worth ₹930 crore from the animal husbandry department of the undivided Bihar between 1985-1995. Lalu Yadav was convicted for irregularities in five different fodder scams.
