Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Gulabrao Patil crudely compared the roads in his constituency in Jalgaon district to actor turned politician Hema Malini's cheeks.
Patil at a public meeting recently said that people should come and see the good condition of roads in his constituency and that he will resign if the roads were not smooth like Hema Malini's cheeks.
"My challenge is for the person who has been an MLA for 30 years (Eknath Khadse) to come to my constituency and see the roads. If the roads are not like Hema Malini's cheeks, then I will resign," said Patil.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and veteran actor Hema Malini found the statement distasteful.
"Better I keep my cheeks safely. A trend of such statements was started by Lalu Ji years ago and many people have followed this trend. This should not be done. Such comments are not in a good taste. Any woman should not be used to making such comments," Hema Malini told ANI.
Defending his party's leader, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said such kinds of comparisons were made earlier too and it should be viewed as respect for Hema Malini.
"This type of comparison has happened earlier too. It is a respect for Hema Malini. So, do not see it negatively. Earlier, Lalu Yadav had also given a similar example. We respect Hema Malini," Raut said.
Former Bihar CM and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had more than a decade ago said that the roads in Bihar will soon be turned "as smooth as Hema Malini's cheeks". The RJD leader was lampooned on his remarks for several years.
Meanwhile, facing flak the Maharashtra Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil has apologised for his remarks claiming that his intention was to highlight the good roads in his assembly constituency and wanted to apologise in case his remarks were misunderstood and hurt anyone.
( With inputs from ANI )
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