Indore, July 29: Kantilal Bhuria, the Union minister of state for agriculture, abused the Madhya Pradesh BJP in obscene language last evening at a public meeting, prompting a cry to sack him.

The Congress made a feeble attempt to defend its minister. State Mahila Congress chief Shobha Ojha, who was present when Bhuria uttered the obscenities, said: “He got a bit carried away. Actually, he was upset about the corruption in the BJP-run municipal corporation and the state government turning a blind eye to it.”

State Congress spokesperson K.K. Mishra said: “Galti se bol gaye. Unka udeshya karyakartaon mein josh jagana tha (It was by a mistake. His intention was to enthuse workers).”

The BJP, though, has not taken it lying down. “The Union minister is out of his mind,” BJP leader Rajesh Sonkar said. “This is the second time that he has gone abusing and using filthy language at a public forum. Is this the way to behave?”

He urged the Prime Minister to sack Bhuria.

In 1989-90, Devi Lal, who was then the deputy Prime Minister, hurled abuses at an editor of a national daily. The editor recorded it and splashed it in the next day’s edition.