L to R: Kamal Nath with Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Photo courtesy: twitter)

Ahead of by-elections in Madhya Pradesh, former Chief Minister Kamal Nath stirred a political storm after he allegedly called a woman minister Imarti Devi as ‘item.’ The senior Congress leader, while addressing a rally in Dabra on Sunday, allegedly remarked the same. However, Kamal Nath claimed that he didn’t address anyone as ‘item.’ Times Now quoted him by saying, “I said something, it wasn’t to insult anyone… I just didn’t remember the (person’s) name…this list (in his hand) says item no.1, item no.2, is this an insult? Shivraj is looking for excuses, Kamal Nath doesn’t insult anyone, he’ll only expose you with truth.”

Slamming Kamal Nath for his ‘feudal mindset,’ the BJP including Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP MP Jyoritaditya Scindia, held a two-hour long ‘maun-vrat’ (silent protest) against Kamal Nath’s alleged remark.

Chouhan said, “Imarti Devi is the daughter of a farmer. She emerged as a public representative in building the nation. First, Congress called me ‘hungry and ill-clad’ and now she has been called an ‘item.’ This shows the feudal mindset of Kamal Nath.”

Chouhan wrote a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi demanding the sacking of the senior Congress leader. He said, “Immediately remove him from all party posts and strongly condemn his statement. If you fail to react, I will be compelled to believe that you support it. The comment was made not once, but twice from a public platform.”

He further said, “Madam Sonia Gandhi, a leader of your party, a former chief minister has made such a comment. Is it okay? Do poor women have no respect? Madam, if you think the remark was wrong, what action will you take? I am writing to you, you make a decision.”