'Woman showing her legs in saree is inappropriate': Ghosh defends Mamata Bermuda shorts comment

West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh on Thursday defended his reported remark that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should wear Bermuda shorts to show her plastered leg. Speaking to media here in Kharagpur, Ghosh said according to him, it is inappropriate for a woman to show her legs in a saree.

"She (Mamata) is our Chief Minister. We expect her to act appropriately, befitting Bengal's culture. A woman showing her legs in a saree is inappropriate. People are objecting. I found it objectionable so I spoke." Ghosh had made the controversial remark while addressing a rally in Purulia on Tuesday. "She (Mamata) wants to show her plastered leg to everyone. Why doesn't she just wear a pair of Bermudas?" he had said.

Ghosh's comments were vehemently criticised by Trinamool Congress' leader and Member of Parliament Mohua Moitra. "BJP West Bengal President asks in the public meeting why Mamatadi is wearing a saree, she should be wearing 'Bermuda' shorts to display her leg better. And these perverted depraved monkeys think they are going to win Bengal?" she tweeted. Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also termed the BJP's leader comment unfortunate and said, "Using this kind of language shows BJP's anti-women mentality and mental bankruptcy as they are going to lose the West Bengal election."

The BJP and the TMC are at loggerheads in poll-bound West Bengal. The top leadership of the BJP has been holding public meetings and roadshows across the state in recent months. Elections in West Bengal will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 to April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.