Dilip Ghosh Defends His 'Bermuda' Remark Against Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh took the opportunity to defend his 'bermuda' remark against West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

"She’s our CM, we expect her to act appropriately, befitting Bengal’s culture. A woman showing her legs in a saree is inappropriate. People are objecting. I found it objectionable so I spoke," he said.

Dilip Ghosh calls the saree a symbol of 'decency'

On Tuesday, Dilip Ghosh attended an election campaign rally in Purulia and said that if Mamata Banerjee wants to show off her leg, she should do so by wearing a pair of bermudas. He received a lot of backlash for being insensitive towards women. In an interview with News18, he said that the saree is a symbol of 'decency', and that it is not proper for her to show her plastered leg every time she is in public. “In West Bengal, our mothers and sisters wear saree. Saree is a symbol of decency. But it is not proper that someone deliberately shows her foot — again and again in public meetings — while wearing a saree. Even women are not liking this," he said.

Dilip Ghosh's remarks come after Mamata Banerjee got an injury in her left foot during an election rally on March 10. Banerjee has been vocal about how she was injured, and said that the injury was caused because of a deliberate attack targeted towards her. However, the BJP has maintained that Banerjee was injured because the door of her car closed on her. They have also alleged that she is using the incident to gain sympathy from the people of West Bengal.

Banerjee was discharged from the SSKM hospital two days after the incident occurred and has since been in a wheelchair with a cast on her left leg.

The TMC has criticised Ghosh for his statements, calling them “vulgar” and “derogatory”. “The use of such derogatory language about a female Chief Minister proves that @BJP4Bengal Leaders do not respect women. Mothers and sisters of Bengal… @MamataOfficial May 2 will give a worthy answer to this insult,” TMC stated.

The assembly elections in West Bengal for 294 seats will be held over eight rounds from March 27-April 29.