Sadhvi’s estranged husband says comment a ‘slip of tongue’

Akbarpur Ka Birbal (Kanpur Dehat): While the Opposition is baying for her blood and the Parliament is turning stormy over her comments, Union minister and BJP MP from Fatehhpur Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti has found support from an unexpected quarter – her estranged husband.
Munshiram was cleaning chaff from wheat with his sister in front of their frugal home in Kanpur Dehat district, 60 km from Kanpur city, when TOI met him on Thursday.
“Jabaan hai, phisal jaati hai. Humlog chaahte yehi hain ki koi nuksaan na ho (It was a case of slip of tongue. We pray she doesn’t have to pay a high price for this),” says Munshiram, who calls Niranjan Jyoti “Devi.”
Munshiram is unlettered but he is aware of the controversy around her. “I have had villagers read out all that’s appearing in newspapers,” he says.
Villagers too profess their support for Niranjan Jyoti, saying she is the “pride of their community, the Nishads. For the first time, someone from our community has risen so high, going as far as to become a Union minister. Both the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have not done much for the community,” said Chhotelal, who separated in the 80s.
Sources in BJP say that Niranjan Jyoti was given a ticket to fight the Lok Sabha polls and also made a minister, keeping in mind the votebank among her community with an eye to the Assembly polls of 2017.
Munshiram's sister told TOI that she is religious and god-fearing. Ever since Sadhvi left Akbarpur ka Birbal village when she was known as Rajrani, Munshiram and his family members had met Sadhvi only on a few occasions at her Musanagar Ashram. “Last we went to invite her for the marriage of my eldest son from my second marriage with Phoolkali, about seven years back,” said Munshiram.
“Her becoming a Union minister is an honour for our village and the community at large,” says a village elder, who identifies himself as Yadav chacha.