Justifying his controversial comment on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said on Thursday that a woman in a saree flaunting her leg is not a reflection of the Bengali culture.
Addressing an election rally in Purulia on Tuesday, Ghosh had targetted Banerjee over her injured leg, saying that if she has to display her "broken leg" for votes, she can very well wear bermuda shorts, which help people see it clearly.
Asked about the comment, Ghosh told reporters, "Being a woman chief minister we certainly expect from her some decency that goes well with the culture and tradition of Bengal, and with the values of a Bengali woman."
"However, here we can see a saree-clad woman who is flaunting her leg frequently. Do you consider this as a reflection of the culture of Bengal? I have protested against this (at the meeting)," he said.
Reacting to Ghosh's justification, the Trinamool Congress said the BJP president has gone on to defend the insult he meted out to the "daughter of Bengal" and the people will punish the "misogyny".
"Be it saree clad women or those wearing ripped jeans, Bengal won't forgive!" it tweeted.
State minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said that women of Bengal won't give a single vote to people of such mindset.
Actor-turned-politician Nusrat Jahan said, "Misogyny and the need to control women as per the wishes of men is so deeply embedded in BJP leaders that it's a matter of national concern now."
The BJP state president has earlier been in the midst of controversies for his comments, which ranged from claims that the milk of "desi" cows milk has gold content to demands that Balakot-like surgical strikes be carried out on Jadavpur University to drive out Communists.
The chief minister has been campaigning for the elections on a wheelchair with her left leg plastered after she was injured in an incident in Nandigram soon after filing her nomination papers on March 10.
She had alleged that the BJP hatched a conspiracy to prevent her from campaigning by organising the "attack", a charge rubbished by the opposition party.
