Minister sorry for 'Negro' slur
DH News Service, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Jul 7 2017, 1:49 IST
Kerala Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran
Kerala Public Works Minister G Sudhakaran, facing allegations of having made a racist reference about a senior World Bank official, apologised unconditionally on Thursday.
Sudhakaran, a senior CPM leader, courted controversy on Monday after he referred to Dr Bernard Aritua, a senior infrastructure specialist with the World Bank, as a “Negro”.
He made the remark in Kasaragod while speaking at an event in connection with the World Bank-aided Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP).
After slamming the World Bank team over delays in implementing the project, Sudhakaran digressed to personal details of the bank team’s leader. “Their team leader is an African-American; a man of Obama’s race. He’s a Negro. Centuries ago, they were brought to America as slaves. They became free after slavery was abolished,” he said.
The World Bank team is learnt to have taken strong exception to the minister’s remarks.
On Thursday, Sudhakaran told a television channel that he was not aware of the racist overtones in his remark and said he was ready to apologise to Aritua.
“Frankly I didn’t know. I’ve heard the term being used here, even in the Assembly,” the minister said. He, however, didn’t state his reasons for referring to the official’s race while speaking about the progress made in the project.
Dr Aritua’s role in the World Bank involves addressing infrastructure development and strategic issues with government officials.
Sudhakaran, a senior CPM leader, courted controversy on Monday after he referred to Dr Bernard Aritua, a senior infrastructure specialist with the World Bank, as a “Negro”.
He made the remark in Kasaragod while speaking at an event in connection with the World Bank-aided Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP).
After slamming the World Bank team over delays in implementing the project, Sudhakaran digressed to personal details of the bank team’s leader. “Their team leader is an African-American; a man of Obama’s race. He’s a Negro. Centuries ago, they were brought to America as slaves. They became free after slavery was abolished,” he said.
The World Bank team is learnt to have taken strong exception to the minister’s remarks.
On Thursday, Sudhakaran told a television channel that he was not aware of the racist overtones in his remark and said he was ready to apologise to Aritua.
“Frankly I didn’t know. I’ve heard the term being used here, even in the Assembly,” the minister said. He, however, didn’t state his reasons for referring to the official’s race while speaking about the progress made in the project.
Dr Aritua’s role in the World Bank involves addressing infrastructure development and strategic issues with government officials.
