President Pranab Mukherjee’s son Abhijit Mukherjee has brought up  a storm of criticism for him and his family with his dented-painted remarks.
In an interview to ABP Ananda, a Bengali news channel, Abhijit Mukherjee said, “This is almost like the Pink Revolution. These pretty women, dented and painted, who come for protests are not students. These women who are protesting have no contact with ground reality”.
“What’s basically happening in Delhi is a lot like Egypt or elsewhere, where there’s something called the spring revolution, which has very little connection with ground realities. In India, staging candle-lit marches, going to discotheques – we did all this during our student life too, we were students too – I know every well what kind of character students should have. Those who claim to be students – I can see many beautiful women among them – highly dented-painted (sic) – they’re giving interviews on TV, they’ve brought their children to show them the scenes. I have grave doubts whether they’re students, because women of that age are generally not students,” Abhijit Mukherjee said.
Sharmistha Mukherjee, his sister and daughter of President Pranab Mukherjee expressed shock and tendered apologies in the media on his behalf.
“Abhijit’s remark is shocker, as a family I don’t agree with his statement. I will take up it with him,” said Sharmishtha.
When asked whether her father would have approved of the remark, Sharmishtha, “My father certainly would disagree with my brother’s view. I humbly apologise on my brother’s behalf. I’m disappointed,” she said.
However, Abhijit Mukherjee, who is Congress’s sitting MP from Jangipurhas alleged that he was being misquoted and also apologised saying he didn’t want to hurt anyone’s sentiment.
“I withdraw the particular sentence ‘dented and painted’ women. I have no intention to insult any woman,” he said while speaking to CNN-IBN Deputy Editor Sagarika Ghose.
Meanwhile, his comments drew flak from women activists and politicians including Brinda Karat and Subhashini Ali.
“It is such an awful statement. He should apologise to the country. He has insulted women of the nation. MPs and MLAs are giving such statements; action should be taken against them. The statement shows his sick and pervert mentality,” said Brinda Karat,
Renowned women right activist and All India Democratic Women Association (ANI) president Subhashini Ali and BJP leader Smriti Irani also criticised Abhijeet’s comment and said that he must apologise publicly