Congressman Gurudas Kamat hits back at the BJP

Mumbai, Jan 28 (IANS) A day after the BJP attacked senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat for his comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's marital status, he hit back saying "Modi is not god" who can't be questioned, here Wednesday.

He also condemned statements by some BJP leaders who he said were trying to spread misinformation about his comments on union Minister Smriti Irani and Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel vis-vis the plight of Jashodaben, estranged wife of Modi.

"Why are the BJP leaders inferring something which is not in our minds and nor was it inferred in my statement? The BJP should ask its cadres and spokespersons how and why they have such thoughts in their minds when we refer to Anandiben Patel and Smriti Irani's elevation," Kamat wondered.

He pointed out that it was the Congress party which always fought for empowering women, raising their status and ensuring that they secured an equal share of respect, stature, power and all other benefits as men.

"We only wanted to point out that people in public life should, especially, set an example by their own actions, which needs to be under scrutiny at all times," Kamat contended.

Accordingly, he said, when the prime minister of the country speaks about "empowering women" and "daving the girl child", it certainly sounded hollow as he was the cause of misery and desolation of his own wife Jasodaben, after marrying her and leaving her stranded in one year, without ever looking back at her.

"This is the biggest insult to women, which BJP Spokespersons should first understand and ask their own leaders for accountability and 'balance mind' before levelling allegations against others for mental imbalance," Kamat said, referring to BJP legislator Atul Bhatkalkar's statement Tuesday that Kamat had "lost his mental balance".

He reminded the BJP leaders that during the (2014 Lok Sabha) election campaign, Modi called the late Sunanda Pushkar "a Rs.50 crore girlfriend" and other distasteful statements against Congress leaders.

"Narendra Modi is not god that he cannot be questioned...In a democracy, it is not only our responsibility but our duty to question our leaders at all times," Kamat asserted.

Referring to Bhatkalkar's allegation that he (Kamat) was sacked from the union cabinet, Kamat retorted that he had resigned (in July 2011) after he was elevated from minister of state rank to independent charge, and deployed for party work.

Later, he said the party honoured him by making him an AICC general secretary and a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest policy making body of the Congress.