Kamal Nath says his 'item' remark is taken out of context

Bhopal, Oct 20: Days after former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath allegedly made a controversial remark on a BJP woman leader, the Congress leader on Tuesday stressed he has made no disrespectful comment and that the BJP is spreading lies.

In a letter to Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Kamal Nath stated, "In the rally at Dabra I made no disrespectful comments, then too you forwarded lies and the word which you are referring to has many meanings, many definitions, but due to fault in your and your party's thoughts are defining it as per your whim and spreading lies and are trying to mislead the public."

Kamal Nath further went on to say that the voters of the state know it is a ploy by the BJP to retain power by taking discourse of the elections away from the main issues.

Training guns at the BJP-led state government, Kamal Nath said, "Under 15 years of your rule Madhya Pradesh stayed on top in the country on issues of rape with sisters and daughters, atrocities on women and crimes against the women, you stayed silent on these issues for years."

Kamal Nath asserted that he has always respected women and will continue to do so throughout his life.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought a detailed report from Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) over Kamal Nath's "item" remark at an election rally made against BJP leader Imarti Devi.

This development comes after the National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) over the 'derogatory remarks' made by Kamal Nath on a woman minister.

In the run-up to Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly by-polls, former Chief Minister Kamal Nath referred to Imarti as an "item", sparking a controversy.