Rahul calls 'item' remark 'unfortunate,' Kamal Nath unmoved

Former Congress boss Rahul Gandhi has disapproved of the party’s Madhya Pradesh leader Kamal Nath’s “item” remark against Minister Imarti Devi. But it hasn’t succeeded in making the former chief minister agree to apologise to her. On Tuesday (October 20), during a visit to Kerala, Rahul said that the remark was “unfortunate”.

#WATCH Kamal Nath ji is from my party but personally, I don't like the type of language that he used…I don't appreciate it, regardless of who he is. It is unfortunate: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the former Madhya Pradesh CM's "item" remark pic.twitter.com/VT149EjHu0

— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2020

“One cannot treat women with disrespect. Kamal Nath ji is from my party. But I don’t like personally that type of language that Kamal Nath ji has used. I do not appreciate it. It is unfortunate,” Gandhi, on a three-day visit to Kerala, told reporters here.

#WATCH It is Rahul Gandhi's opinion. I have already clarified the context in which I made that statement… Why should I apologise when I did not intend to insult anyone? If anyone felt insulted, I have already expressed regret: Former MP CM Kamal Nath https://t.co/Io2z9b3Tiu pic.twitter.com/nfB8Eum4nH

— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2020

Asked about the former party chief’s comment on his remark, Kamal Nath said that it was Gandhi’s opinion. “It is Rahul Gandhi’s opinion. I have already clarified the context in which I made that statement… Why should I apologise when I did not intend to insult anyone? If anyone felt insulted, I have already expressed regret,” said Nath.

Addressing a campaign meeting on Sunday for the November 3 by-election in Gwalior’s Dabra town, where the BJP has fielded Imarti Devi, Kamal Nath has said the Congress candidate was a “simple person” unlike his opponent who was an “item”.

Kamal Nath had expressed regret over his remark and asserted that he did not say anything disrespectful.

Related news: Kamal Nath’s ‘item’ remark part of a debased political diction

The remark triggered an outrage with the BJP leaders, led by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, staging protests against Kamal Nath. Chouhan has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, asking her to condemn Nath’s remarks and remove him from all party posts.

The National Commission for Women has sought an explanation from Nath for his remark. “This is disgraceful for him (Kamal Nath). It shows the character of the person saying it. Instead of saying sorry, he is giving a useless explanation. His party should take strict action against him,” Rekha Sharma, Chairperson of National Commission for Women (NCW) was quoted as saying by ANI.