Senior Trinamool Congress minister Firhad Hakim on Friday issued an apology for making an alleged sexist remark against BJP leader Rekha Patra, who was the face of protests in Sandeshkhali. He clarified that he did not intend to hurt anyone's feelings.
The development came after he faced backlash for making the remark and the Bharatiya Janata Party filing a formal complaint with the Election Commission, demanding censure against the TMC leader in the by-poll campaign, news agency PTI reported.
Hakim, who is also Kolkata Mayor, reportedly referred to Patra as "heroo maal" during a recent by-poll campaign at the Haroa assembly constituency. Since this term is considered derogatory and objectifying towards women, it sparked a controversy between the two parties ahead of by-polls next week.
The TMC leader had allegedly remarked on Patra's defeat in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. The BJP had fielded her from Basirhat following her role in Sandeshkhali protests.
During his speech Hakim had said: "The BJP announced a candidate from Sandeshkhali. Where is that candidate? She (Rekha Patra) lost... ‘heroo maal’. She later lodged cases against our candidate. The BJP only knows how to file cases." A video clip in which Hakim was heard making the comment had also gone viral, drawing immediate backlash from the BJP.
Issuing apology on Friday afternoon, Hakim told reporters: "I did not intend to disrespect or hurt the feelings of women." "If my words have hurt her (Rekha), I am truly sorry. I would never even dream of disrespecting any woman. My leader is a woman; my mother, wife, daughters, and granddaughters are all women. We honour women in Bengal, which is why we celebrate Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Jagaddhatri Puja, and Saraswati Puja. Disrespecting women is not in our culture," PTI quoted him as saying.
On BJP seeking action ECI against Hakim, the TMC leader said: "They (BJP) do not have anything to do, so they can go there (ECI), it doesn't matter but we cannot disrespect a woman. 'Heroo maal' is a term that we generally use in Bengal, it was not specifically for any woman...BJP is 'heroo maal' who lost against Haji Nurul by 3 lakh votes but went to the court. This is why BJP was called 'heroo maal'...We respect women, this is the culture of Bengal. We treat women as goddesses in Bengal."
Rekha Patra had criticised Hakim over his language, calling it "deeply offensive" and an attack on women in West Bengal. Patra became a prominent face in Sandeshkhali protests earlier this year, where she led demonstrations against alleged sexual exploitation and land-grabbing by local TMC leaders.
Senior BJP leader Shishir Bajoria on Friday lodged a complain to the office of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), demanding that Hakim be immediately censured. "We request the ECI to immediately censure Firhad Hakim, who has in the past many times crossed the Lakshman Rekha and violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC)," he wrote to the CEO.
Bengal Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari also demanded legal action against the TMC leader, saying that his remark not just disrespected Patra but also her community. "Rekha Patra, other than being a woman, belongs to the SC Poundra-Kshatriya community. This is demeaning not only towards her but also offensive towards her entire community," Adhikari said in a post on X.