Call it a slip of tongue or an intense desire to deflect the attention from the pep-talk of harbouring his new aspirations, senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has all the wrong reasons to be in spotlight over a cussword he used on a public platform in Ranchi on Tuesday. But people have their own interpretation of the word which has been described highly derogatory by one and all across the spectrum.
The BJP stalwart, however, on Wednesday regretted the use of word and said “I used the word because I was saddened with the question being asked time and again”.
Prominent figures in the city though distanced themselves from the comment made by the former Union Minister; many others felt it was highly derogatory for a veteran leader to use such words.
In the views of business fraternity use of such words are more intended for pun than to degrade any position. “This is just a slip of tongue, a human error. Sometimes we say these words just to take a dig at people (shooting a question to someone). We should let it go and should not read too much into it,” said FJCCI president, Bikash Kumar Singh.
However, social activists did not mince words for using a cussword for a position that they believe reflects Jharkhand’s representation on the national space. The comments draw flak from social activists given Sinha’s background and the fact that he represented Hazaribagh so many times.
“This is a sensitive issue so he must not make comments that hurt our sentiment. Moreover, a statement from such a senor person represents our culture and participation in democratic processes. So instead of making comments he must do something for the State,” maintained artist of international fame, Nandlal Nayak.
But Sinha’s slip of tongue opened a window for leaders of other political parties to take a dig at him and offer a suggestion or two over etiquette in public. leaders of political parties termed it unbecoming of a senior leader and a former union minister. “This is not expected of someone of his stature and political background. Irrespective of a person making statement use of such words are not appropriate that too from a mature person. This also raises questions about his personality. It is absolutely necessary to control speech and refrain from using such words for a respected position,” said former chairperson of Jharkhand State women’s Commission, Hemlata S Mohan.
A senior bureaucrat expressed his displeasure and said that the senior leader seem to have abased himself by using the unparliamentarily word. “The leader should have maintained the gravity of a senior politician and a former bureaucrat,” he said.
Sinha, while addressing a gathering to discuss aspirations of Jharkhand in the upcoming Union Budget at FJCCI on Tuesday had said, “Whoever ‘c…..a’ becomes the CM (of Jharkhand) it does not matter.”