West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday apologised for the objectionable comments made by Trinamool Congress leader Akhil Giri about President Droupadi Murmu.

Giri, a minister in the West Bengal Cabinet, was widely criticised for commenting on the president’s appearance at a gathering in Nandigram on November 11. “We don’t judge anyone by their appearance, we respect the office of the president...But how does our president look?” Giri was heard saying in the video.

Although Giri had apologised for his comments on Saturday, the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state filed a police complaint against him in Delhi on Sunday and demanded an apology from Banerjee.

On Monday, West Bengal BJP MLAs also led a march to the Raj Bhavan to protest against Giri’s comments, reported NDTV.

Soon after the march, Banerjee issued an apology saying that she has great regard for Murmu and that making personal remarks about others is not the culture of her party.

“Somebody has committed a mistake and we are opposing it, we aren’t supporting it,” Banerjee said. “But every day, the language that is being used to make statements and the lying that is continuing is unacceptable.”

The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has also retaliated to BJP’s criticism by alleging that the Hindutva party has tortured and ignored the Adivasi community.

Trinamool Congress hit out leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari on Monday as they alleged that he had used unparliamentary language against its Santhal MLA and minister Birbaha Hansda.