Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher (File Photo)Chandigarh Member of Parliament Kirron Kher’s remarks on Chandigarh Aam Aadmi Party councillors sparked a controversy on Wednesday when she called them ‘dunger’ (animals) and said she hasn’t ever witnessed such ‘junglipana’ in the general house.
Kher was speaking at a press conference to mark eight years of Modi government when she was asked about the AAP councillors complaining that their works are not being done. She then referred to their conduct in the house when the Mayoral election took place.
Even though AAP councillors had majority with 14 seats in the 35/member, BJP, which had 13 seats after one Congress councillor joined them, managed to elect its Mayor in January this year. Congress has seven seats while Akali Dal has one.
When asked about AAP’s complaint that its works are not being done by BJP and they had even complained to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Kher lost her cool. “Wo to apni hi sarkar duniya mein kahin satellite mein baithe hue banana chahte hain…unki baaten chod hi den…jis tarah se unhone danga phassad kiya tha house mein pehle din jab wo chun k aaye…kam se kam unhe ye to sochna chahiye tha…ki ye jo yahan hum aaye hain..is jagah ki ek garima hai…aasan nahi hai chun k aana udhar…aaye hain to us seat ka.. us jagah ki izzat to kijiye…wo log to table tod rahe the kaanch tod rahe the…maine to itna junglipan kabhi dekha hi nahi …aisa laga jaise dunger ghoom rahe ho wahan pe…u know boht dar lag raha tha. Maine zindagi mein Congress dekhi..katakhs..ye dungerpana aaj tak nahin dekha The way they protested in the general house first day when they came after being elected (Mayor election day) atleast they must know that they should respect the chair for which they have been elected by the public. The way they were breaking the tables, glass etc….I haven’t come across such wild behavior ever…looked as if animals are roaming around..it was really scary),” Kher remarked. She was referring to the day when AAP was protesting against the mayor’s election.
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Kher went on to explain, “Mere ko itni ghabrahat ho gayi ki jab humne bithaya Sarabjit ji ko humne bithaya kursi pe..to wo unki aurten aise dhakke laga rahi thi..mujhe to laga ye maarengi sab ko..peetengi… bura haal kar rakha tha… I faced such discomfort when we were making Sarabjit ji sit on the Mayor’s chair…their women were pushing like anything…I felt as if they will hit everyone now…will thrash everyone).”
She said she had seen Congress in opposition as well, but had never come across such a conduct.
She went on to add.. “Aisa dungerpana maine aaj tak dekha nahi….i was in shock….ye kaise log hain…ye kahin padh likh ke aaye hain inko thodi akal h? (I haven’t come across such an animal like behavior ever. What kind of people are these…where have they studied, if they have..do they have brains?)”
She even referred to one instance, “Mere peeche baithe the ek wo mote se sardar ji …jor jor se table pe maar rahe the…maine poochha aapke bapu ji ka table hai…kehte nahi ji…maine pucha mere bapu ji ka…hai..kehte nahi ji…maine kaha sarkar ka hai ye jisse tod rahe hain….taxpayer k paise lage hain isko banane mein….jisse tod rahe hain ( There was a fat sardar ji sitting behind me….he was banging the table…I told him that this table he is breaking is made of taxpayers’ money).”
She said in the previous term she had done the work of Congress councillors like Devinder Singh Babla (now in BJP), Ravinder Gujral or Gurbax Rawat, whenever they approached her.
Kher also lashed out at Chandigarhians for voting for AAP. “inko kya den…kya baat karen….itni akal nahin thi…. us area ke logon ko…ki kaam ke liye to sansad k pass hi jana padega … Centre ke pass hi jana padega…..inko vote deke kya fayda. (what do we say about them now…people of their area didn’t have this much wisdom that their works are going to be done by the MP, the Centre….what is the use of voting for them).”
AAP SAYS REMARKS DISGRACEFUL, SEEKS APOLOGY
Kher’s remarks sparked a row with Aam Aadmi Party Chandigarh President Prem Garg, calling them disgraceful and seeking a public apology from Kher. He warned that the councillors will be forced to protest if she does not comply with their demand.
Garg said, “I doubt if any political leader of Chandigarh had ever used such filthy language for duly elected public representatives of the city.”
“Being a woman and representative of the city, she is duty bound to uphold the dignity of women councillors. Using such filthy language for public representatives is not only an insult to the councillors but also to the public of the city. We can only sympathise with Kher, because she might have been undergoing a lot of mental stress due to the criticism of her long absence from the city and it might have affected her good senses too. I can only pray to God to give her better sense,” Garg said in a statement released later.
He added, “it’s a fundamental right of every councillor to protest.”
“The way whole election process of Mayor was conducted, it was a big shame for the democratic process. So it was natural to stage a strong protest against hijacking of public mandate by BJP. Calling our protesting councillors as fodder animals or wild animals is uncalled for, disgraceful, unexpected and unwarranted. Aam Aadmi Party expects a public apology from the BJP member of Parliament, otherwise party may be forced to protest against defamation of elected councillors,” the statement said.
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