Italyâ„¢s vice president of the Senate has likened the countryâ„¢s integration minister to an orangutan, causing a storm of criticism and condemnation by Prime Minister Enrico Letta.
Roberto Calderoli, a member of the anti-immigration Northern League Party, said on Saturday during a political rally in the city of Treviglio that the Congolese-born Cecile Kyenge Å“made him think of an orangutan.”
Furthermore, Calderoli said that Kyengeâ„¢s policies encouraged Å“illegal immigrants” to come to Italy and that she should be a minister Å“in her own country.”
In response to Calderoliâ„¢s remarks, politicians slammed his remarks, with some demanding him to resign as Senate vice president and Letta said the comments were unacceptable.
The large criticism forced the Senate vice president to call Kyenge directly and apologized for his remarks.
Kyenge, herself, commented on the remarks by saying Calderoli should think of his responsibility as a senior Senate member.
Å“I do not want to address Calderoli the person, but as a representative of an institution: reflect on what you want to represent through your language,” said Kyenge.
Since Kyenge was appointed as integration minister, she has experienced repeated racial slurs, such as Å“Congolese monkey”, Å“Zulu” and the Å“black anti-Italian.”
This is not the first time Italyâ„¢s opposition politician Calderoli, twice a cabinet minister under the administration of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, has given offensive remarks, which caused repercussions.
He was forced to resign as reform minister in 2006 after displaying a T-shirt mocking Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and in the same year he said Franceâ„¢s soccer team loss against Italy in the World Cup final was because its team consists of Å“niggers, Muslims and communists.”
CAH/HSN
Republished with permission from: Press TV