Sanjay Nishad (File photo)
NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad on Wednesday defended his controversial remark on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar pulling down a woman’s hijab, saying his comment was “misunderstood” due to translation issues and carried no ill intent, even as opposition parties intensified their demand for an unconditional apology.As outrage mounted across political lines, the Nishad Party chief sought to play down the remark, describing it as a casual, light-hearted comment made in Hindi that lost its meaning when translated. The comment, widely criticised as misogynistic and crude, was made during an interview with a private television channel and later circulated on social media.”My remark was tweaked and twisted, misinterpreted, its spirit lost in cacophony and translation,” the Uttar Pradesh fisheries minister told news agency PTI, responding to criticism from the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).”If someone has taken offence, I am willing to take back the words from my side,” he said.Nishad cites ‘linguistic differences’Nishad argued that linguistic and cultural differences played a role in the backlash, pointing to his roots in the Bhojpuri-speaking belt of eastern Uttar Pradesh.”I belong to Gorakhpur and the Bhojpuri-speaking belt and expressions and conversational styles differ from region to region,” he said, adding, “In Bhojpuri, this is a common way of urging people not to make too much of any issue and to counsel restraint. I chose to use the same style in Hindi and didn’t know it will become such an issue.”Drawing comparisons with other regions, he said, “Just as language and expressions vary in Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra or Tamil Nadu, dialects in north India and eastern Uttar Pradesh also differ. That does not mean there was any intention to insult.”What’s the controversy?The controversy stems from a video showing Nitish Kumar pulling down a woman’s veil during a government programme in Patna on Monday. Nishad defended the Bihar chief minister’s action, claiming Kumar had “merely removed” the veil to confirm whether the actual beneficiary of a government scheme was present.
He further said the lapse lay with officials responsible for organising the event. “The responsibility lay with officials who should have ensured proper arrangements before the programme,” he said.Nishad insisted his comments were not directed against any woman, community or religion. “There was neither malice nor any intention of disrespect,” he said, while alleging that the issue was being deliberately amplified for political gains.The controversy snowballed after Nishad made the remark during the televised interview: “Woh (Kumar) bhi to aadmi hai, kisi ke itna peechhe nahin pad jaana chahiye. Choo diya naqaab to kya ho gaya, agar kahin aur chhoo dete to kya ho jaata (He is also a man; one should not go after someone so much. What happened if the veil was removed? What would have happened if he had touched somewhere else?”Opposition remains unsparingCongress’ Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai described Nishad’s statement as “outrageously anti-women” and said it reflected the mindset of the BJP and its allies. “We seek unconditional apology failing which we will seek minister’s dismissal,” Rai told PTI.Samajwadi Party spokesperson Abbas Haider termed the remarks “condemnable and undignified”, adding, “I would also like to ask if this is the idea of the BJP led government in UP which the minister has reflected in his statements.” He too demanded “an immediate and unconditional apology.”The AAP’s Uttar Pradesh unit accused the minister of making “shameful” and “anti-women” comments, saying the statement exposed a “crude and misogynistic mindset”.Social media platforms were flooded with posts criticising Nishad for what many described as an unacceptable and sexist viewpoint.The video clip has since been widely shared, further fuelling the political storm around the minister’s comments. Go to Source