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Newly inducted Bharatiya Janata Party leader Naresh Agrawal expressed his regrets about the remarks he made about “dancers and film actors were preferred over [him] for the nominations for the Upper House of Parliament”, a day after he joined the party.
“I apologise if anybody’s sentiments have been hurt by my remark”, he told reporters on Tuesday, 13 March.
The remarks, made in the presence of Union Minister Piyush Goyal at the party headquarters in Delhi, referred to the nomination of actor Jaya Bachchan by the Samajwadi Party for a Rajya Sabha seat from Uttar Pradesh, ignoring Agrawal’s claim. Agrawal's term as Rajya Sabha member is ending on 2 April, reported PTI.
My comparison was drawn with those working in films... I was rejected for those who dance in films, work in films. I found it not proper. Nobody found it proper.Naresh Agrawal
The BJP, meanwhile, was left red-faced, as it sought to distance itself from Agrawal’s remarks.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj welcomed Agrawal into the BJP, but called his comments regarding Jaya Bachchan “improper and unacceptable”.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said his party respects people from all fields and welcomed them in politics.
Agrawal also announced that his son Nitin, who is an SP MLA, will be joining the BJP and will vote for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha.
Thanking PM Modi and Amit Shah for showing faith in him, he described his joining the BJP as a “homecoming”.
I have not joined the Bharatiya Janata Party for any Rajya Sabha ticket, nor have I set any condition.Naresh Agrawal
He also asserted that he has been influenced by both the Prime Minister as well as UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, adding that the whole nation is with Narendra Modi and his government.
At the same time, Agrawal expressed his affection for SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and his cousin Ram Gopal Yadav, but said the party's strength in Uttar Pradesh has depleted.
Notably, Agrawal had been one of the most vocal critics of the Modi government and the BJP in the Rajya Sabha in the last few years.
He is also no stranger to controversies, with his remarks in the House mocking Hindu gods sparking an uproar last year.
Watch the entire press conference below:
Naresh Agrawal’s Induction Into BJP Kicks Up a Twitter Storm
With Naresh Agrawal's induction into the BJP, many on Twitter pointed out that he had earlier been insulted by the very party and those sympathetic to the RSS. Sambit Patra had apparently tweeted against Agrawal earlier, but has now deleted it.
Meanwhile, others questioned the BJP’s decision to induct a leader who has allegedly made many controversial remarks in the past.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS)
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