"Saput Kaput ho sakta hai lekin mata kumata nahi ho sakti...": Baghel on Italia's remarks against PM Modi's mother

By Tanmay Sakalley
Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], October 18 : Condemning Gujarat AAP President Gopal Italia's casteist remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday said that a mother can never be selfish even if her son turns out to be one.
"Mata Kabhi kumata nahi hoti beta hota hai. Saput Kaput ho sakta hai lekin mata kumata nahi ho sakti (a son can be a selfish but a mother can neve be)," Baghel said in his remarks on Italia.
"Gopal Italia made casteist remarks that Gujarat and the country will not tolerate. He commented about PM Modi's mother. Mother is a mother whosoever's mother she is. She is 100 years old and has nothing to do with politics. The Congress party condemns this," said Baghel.
Last week, a video of Italia had gone viral in which he is purportedly heard asking the women not to visit the temples and 'kathas' (sermons by Hindu priests) as they are "hubs of exploitation". This comes days after he allegedly made a casteist remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in yet another viral video.
Italia was detained by the Delhi Police after he was summoned by the National Commission of Women (NCW) on Thursday.
The NCW chief summoned Italia over a controversial video, in which he purportedly used derogatory language against PM Modi.
Baghel further claimed that AAP is the 'B' team of BJP and they go to Gujarat, Goa and Uttarakhand to defeat Congress adding that whatever they say but that is their goal.
"They say where is Congress? Congress is in the entire country. AAP is not the Aam Aadmi Party but 'Khaas Aadmi Party'. They may wear loose-fitting kurta pants but they are Khaas Aadmi Party and BJP's B team," CM said.
He further said that he would campaign for the Gujarat elections.
"Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has reached in Gujarat and our people are continuously working at the ground level," he said.
Talking about Gujarat elections, CM Baghel told ANI, "It is such that there is only campaigning of AAP, there is nothing on the ground, it is visible in a few cities, otherwise it is nowhere. The fight will be between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The change that is happening at this time is also in Gujarat and the BJP has done a lot of experiments, it has put all the experienced leaders aside and has made the first time MLA as the Chief Minister. This step makes it clear that BJP has accepted that the ground of the Party has slipped here".
Baghel thanked former Goa Chief Minister Francisco Sardinha, who showed his concern that Rahul Gandhi should go to Himachal and Gujarat.
"Rahul ji has come out, all the Congressmen have come out on Bharat Jodo Yatra for what? There is poverty, unemployment inflation in the country and because of politics, unity in diversity is our strength and that is why we want to unite all the societies, connecting people of religions and provinces tied in one thread. That's why Rahul ji is doing padyatra on all these issues and people are taking it in their hands," he said.
Talking about the effect of the Yatra on the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, the Chief Minister said, "The purpose of this journey and the election is different though the effect will be there. They are walking on foot in Karnataka, they reached Tamil Nadu, Kerala and then to Karnataka. But we are discussing it sitting in Chhattisgarh, from this it is understood that how important is the padyatra in this country. Today, Rahul ji has set out on a padyatra with a holy purpose across the country to connect people of different castes, religions, languages, unemployment and inflation. Surely there will be a success and this thunder will reach everywhere."
Rahul Gandhi has been leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra since September 7 aiming to cover the distance of 3,500 km from Kanniyakumari to Jammu and Kashmir.