Mumbai: Left red-faced by the articles in Congress mouthpiece targeting Jawaharlal Nehru and Sonia Gandhi, Mumbai Congress chief and journal's editor Sanjay Nirupam today apologised for the gaffe in the party's Maharashtra mouthpiece, ‘Congress Darshan'.
“I admit the mistake. Inquiry will be initiated against the editorial department which committed the mistake. We will take measures that such a mistake is not repeated," Nirupam said.
Reports emerged soon after Nirupam's apology that the content editor of the journal, Sudhir Joshi, had been sacked.
An unsigned write-up in the Mumbai unit's journal, coinciding with the party's 131st foundation day, blamed Nehru for "the state of affairs in Kashmir, China and Tibet" even as another write-up made controversial remarks on party chief Sonia Gandhi, forcing Nirupam to order an inquiry even as he claimed he was unaware of the content.
Both these articles, which did not bear the name of the writer, have been published in this month's issue of 'Congress Darshan' Hindi edition as a tribute to the country's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabbhai Patel on his death anniversary on December 15.
However, Nirupam had claimed that he was not involved in the day-to-day functioning of the magazine and was unaware of the articles.
His apology came after a section of the Mumbai unit of Congress came down heavily on the former journalist and sought his apology and resignation over the issue.
A city Congress leader, on condition of anonymity, said that the current edition of the Mumbai unit's journal was crucial as it was dedicated to party chief Sonia Gandhi, and Nirupam should apologise for the embarrassment caused to the party and resign from his post.
"This is unpardonable and the impact made by the development on the party's image is irrecoverable. He must immediately tender an apology to all the party workers of the country and submit his resignation," he said.
Another Congress leader said, "We should never forget that abusing Sonia was in the DNA of Nirupam ever since he was with Shiv Sena."
