The controversy surrounding BJP leader Uma Bharti’s unsavoury comments on bureaucracy in a viral video took an interesting turn on Tuesday as Bharti decided to write to Congress leader Digvijaya Singh to express regret for her comments.
This letter came with reference to Singh’s Twitter post on Bharti where the Rajya Sabha member asked Bharti to apologise for her ‘highly objectionable comments’ while referring to the fact that in the capacity of a “younger sister” Bharti has always been warning him to speak less.
Bharti, while saying in her letter that Digvijaya has given a ‘proper reaction’ to her comments on bureaucracy, however, did not fail to take an oblique dig at him. “I will amend my language in future, you too do it if possible,” Bharti said at the conclusion of the short letter, while signing it off as ‘aapki sacchi laadli behan’ (your truly loved sister).
The controversy erupted after a video that went viral on Monday showed Bharti as saying ‘bureaucracy is nothing. It is meant to lift our chappals, they lift our chappals (footwear)’ while speaking to the representatives of OBC Mahasabha who went to meet her in Bhopal on September 18. The video also showed Bharti saying that bureaucracy had hardly any aukat (standing).
Later Bharti tweeted to express regret on her use of ‘unrestrained language’ and added that actually she was defending the bureaucracy. In the same string of tweets, however, she called a section of political leaders ‘nikamma’ (inefficient) and said they tried to hide their inefficiency behind bureaucracy.
Meanwhile, Digvijaya tweeted on the issue calling Bharti’s comments highly objectionable and reminding her that she had always warned him to speak less. Singh also said that under Indian Constitution, bureaucracy was committed to work in a fair manner and under rules and laws.
“They are not your servants meant to pick up chappals. You have been a Union minister, chief minister and you should not make such remarks. You should apologise,” he said.
Bharti wrote back to him personally on Tuesday addressing him as ‘adarniya dada’ (respected elder brother) and saying that he had given proper response to her comments on bureaucracy.
“I am hurt myself with my way of speaking. I would always badger you that ‘dada’ does not speak restrained language. This is like the saying in Ramayana that it is easy to advise others but difficult to implement it on oneself,” Bharti said. However she went on to add, “I will amend my language in future, you too do it if possible.”
