Khattar's ('brides from Kashmir') remark hurts entire nation: Mamata

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday criticised her Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar's remark on Kashmiri girls and said people holding high office should refrain from making insensitive comments about the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Without naming Khattar, Banerjee in a tweet said, "We, and more so people holding high public office, must restrain ourselves from making insensitive comments about the beloved people of Jammu and Kashmir. These are hurtful, not only for J&K, but the entire nation."

Her comments come in the backdrop of Khattar's recent statement that people from Haryana "could now get brides from Kashmir" apparently in reference to the scrapping of the special status for Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, the Congress demanded the immediate dismissal of Khattar as Haryana CM and an FIR against him over the controversial remark, with party leader Rahul Gandhi claiming his comments reflect what RSS training does to the mind of a "weak, insecure and pathetic man". Khattar hit back at Gandhi saying "weak, insecure and pathetic" are adjectives that people use for the Congress president as he accused him of "manufacturing statements".

"Dear Rahul Gandhi ji, at least at your level, you shouldn't react on distorted news. I'm attaching the video of what I actually said, and In what context - this will give you clarity of mind," Khattar said on Twitter and also attached his complete speech to explain the context in which he was speaking.

Gandhi, in a tweet, had earlier said, "Haryana CM, Khattar's comment on Kashmiri women is despicable and shows what years of RSS training does to the mind of a weak, insecure and pathetic man. Women are not assets to be owned by men."