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Modi's remarks spark controversy

Special Correspondent

GANDHINAGAR : Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has kicked up a controversy by making "obscene remarks" against Muslim women.

Mr. Modi was speaking in Gujarati at a function here on Saturday for promoting rural sanitation in the presence of Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad, BJP MP and former cricketer Navjyot Singh Sidhu, and a prominent religious leader Morari Bapu, among others.

He said: "There is one community which insists on `burqa' for their women in public. But to respond to nature's call, the same women are forced to go to jungles in the absence of sanitary facilities at home... "

Union Textile Minister Shankarsinh Waghela, who was here to attend a Congress function, said Mr. Modi's remarks were not only an insult to Muslim women but to all Indian women who followed the social custom of covering their head in public. Mr. Modi should tender an unconditional apology to all women for his "obscene remarks."

Pardons e-mail sender

In the "hate mail" case, Mr. Modi has "pardoned" the Delhi-based executive, Omar Farookh Siddiqui, who sent e-mail to the Chief Minister using "filthy abusive language." Farookh, who along with his father Irfan Siddiqui, were picked up by the State Anti-Terrorist Squad police from their Malviya Nagar residence in Delhi after tracing the e-mail to Omar's address, was remanded to police custody on Saturday.

Farookh, admitting that the e-mail was sent by him, however, told the police that he did not know that the address belonged to the Chief Minister. He sent the e-mail about a month ago in reply to an "invitation" sent on e-mail to come to Ahmedabad to attend the kite festival as part of the `Vibrant Gujarat' celebrations. Wondering why should he be invited for a state function, he thought someone was playing a "practical joke" on him and wanted to give him a "fitting reply." But he realised his mistake only after the Gujarat police knocked at his door.

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