Gadkari flayed for calling Lalu,Mulayam ‘dogs’

“I regret the comment made yesterday and take back my words. I have a lot of respect for Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad. I did not mean to hurt anyone directly or indirectly,” Gadkari said at a meet-the-press programme here.

Claiming that he did not know that his comments would create such a furore,Gadkari said he had used a phrase,but a “wrong impression” had gone out.

“Meri baat ki bhavna alag thi. Maine sirf ek muhavare ka tor par bolo tha (What I meant was different.I was only using a phrase)”,he said.

Castigating two Yadavs for not supporting the cut motions in the Lok Sabha,Gadkari,while addressing a party meeting on Wednesday,had said,”Bade dakarte the sher jaise,aur kutte ke jaise ban kar Soniaji aur Congress ke ghar par talve chatne lage’ (these leaders were roaring like lions but later bowed like dogs to lick the feet of Sonia and the Congress).”

He had alleged that they had gone against the cut motions due to “fear” of the CBI.

Congress too joined the Yadav satraps in castigating Gadkari,and said the BJP president has used highly derogatory language.

“It is highly derogatory language. But we are not surprised… Soon after Gadkari was made BJP President,it was said that his stature was not of a national politician. He is justifying this impression with this kind of language,” party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.

Another party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan termed Gadkari’s remarks as “shocking and outrageous”,saying he should apologise to the nation for bringing politics to such a low.

In a damage control exercise,the BJP president had offered to withdraw his words if the two Yadavs had felt bad.

But,the controversy refuses to die. The SP,RJD and Congress have lashed out at Gadkari over the matter forcing him to go defensive.

When asked to comment on SP threatening to move court over his remarks,he said,”You have to try to understand the spirit behind what I said”.

To another question that some leaders had charged him with taking politics to a low level with his comments,he said,”I have said whatever I had to say. I think the matter should end now”.

Meanwhile,some members of city unit of Lalu Prasad’s RJD staged a protest outside the Chandigarh Press Club here while Gadkari was addressing mediapersons inside the club.

The protestors were led by RJD’s Chandigarh unit chief Ravinder Krishan. They gathered outside the gate and condemned the remarks made by Gadkari.

They raised slogans against the BJP chief,demanding a public apology from him for his comments.

Later,the police dispersed them. However,they continued to raise slogans till Gadkari left the venue.

BJP’s Gadkari calls Lalu,Mulayam ‘dogs’

BJP President Nitin Gadkari courted a major controversy by making abusive remarks against Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad for not supporting the cut motions in the Lok Sabha.

Gadkari made the remarks while addressing a party meeting here.

In a damage-control exercise later while talking to mediapersons,the BJP chief offered to withdraw the words if the two Yadavs felt bad.

Gadkari lashed out at the SP,RJD and BSP for not supporting the NDA during the cut motion,alleging that they did so because of their “fear” of the CBI.

He said the two Yadavs “pretended to be lions” but later bowed down before the CBI. In this context,he also made some abusive remarks – “Kutto ke jaise Sonia aur Congress ke talve chatne lage” (dogs who lick the feet of Sonia and Congress).

Referring to Mulayam,Lalu and BSP chief Mayawati,Gadkari said,”they are in opposition,but in reality they are hand-in-glove with Congress.”

Mulayam and Lalu are “afraid” of CBI,he said and accused the investigation agency of “blackmailing Mayawati after which she changed her stance (on cut motion on price rise)”.

Later,he told reporters that “I directly or indirectly never had any intention to (indulge in) loose talks,particularly about Mulayam Singhji and Laluji. I respect them as leaders.”

He said his use of the words against the two Yadavs while addressing a party meeting should not be “taken literally as that was never my intention and it was never in my mind”.

The Yadavs are “respectable leaders. If they feel something bad,then OK,no problem,I’ll take my words back”,Gadkari said.

SP threatens to move court against Gadkari

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party today threatened to move the court against BJP President Nitin Gadkari for his “objectionable” comments against party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad.

“Nitin Gadkari has used objectionable language against senior politicians leaders like Mulayam Singh and Lalu Prasad.

The kind of language used by him shows that though he represents a national party,he has a very narrow minded approach…

“We are seeking legal opinion on the issue and will go to court against him,” SP national spokesperson Mohan Singh told reporters here.

When told that Gadkari has apologised and withdrawn his remarks,Singh said,”We may accept his apology but what about millions of dalits and backwards whose sentiments have been hurt by his remarks?”

Singh said while RSS calls itself a guardian of Indian culture,a person like Gadkari who is backed by the organisation,has shown his true colours and bias against the two Yadav leaders.

Claiming that the Sangh too was biased against the two Yadavs,he said party workers will burn the effigy of RSS.

“It is unfortunate that the president of a party having stalwarts like Deen Dayal Upadhyay and Atal Bihari Vajpayee has made such remarks. We condemn it,” Singh said.