Odisha angry over remarks on President Droupadi Murmu

BHUBANESWAR: Political parties in Odisha were up in arms over West Bengal minister and Trinamool Congress leader Akhil Giri’s alleged comment on President Droupadi Murmu’s looks, with many demanding his ouster even as the BJP staged protests across the state.
At a public meeting in Nandigram on Friday, Giri had apparently said the president’s looks evokes laugh- ter even among his supporters. As the purported clip went viral, Giri clarified that he respects President Murmu and that his remark was in response to BJP leader Subhendu Adhikari’s comment on his own looks. BJP took out protest rallies in Bhubaneswar, Sundargarh and Nayagarh among other places, and lodged police complaints against Giri.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, who was part of one such rally in Nayagarh, said, “The Trinamool leader’s statement has hurt the sentiments of five crore people of Odisha. We demand that West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee remove him from the council of ministers and arrest him. His remark is not only derogatory to the country’s highest post, but is also anti-woman and anti-tribal.”