After his sexist comments calling for liquor brands to be renamed after women kicked up a row, water resources minister Girish Mahajan issued an apology and said he did not mean to offend anybody.
"I said this in humour. I had no motive except this," said Mahajan on Monday. "I am saying it clearly, it was an inadvertent mistake… I am apologising in case it has hurt anybody," Mahajan noted, adding he had no vices and did not even drink tea.
On Saturday, Mahajan, who was speaking at a function at the Satpuda co-operative sugar factory at Nandurbar, had advised the unit to rename its liquor brand as 'Maharani' instead of 'Maharaja' to boost sales. The statement was condemned by political parties.
Mahajan was also taken to task by the Shiv Sena. In an editorial on Monday, the Sena organ Saamna lashed out at the minister and said that his advice on increasing liquor sales ran counter to the state government's stated objective of prohibition.
The Shiv Sena said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had supported Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's decision to impose prohibition last year despite the two then being at loggerheads.
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This is not the first time that Mahajan, who represents Jamner in Jalgaon in the state assembly for five terms, has found himself in the thick of a controversy. Earlier this year, the former ABVP worker, who is considered close to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, had been criticized after he attended the wedding of a relative of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
In 2015, Mahajan, who is a black-belt holder in karate, had been spotted with his revolver tucked in to his waist at a childrens' event.
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- This is not the first time that Mahajan, who represents Jamner in Jalgaon in the state assembly for five terms, has found himself in the thick of a controversy. Earlier this year, the former ABVP worker, had been criticized after he attended the wedding of a relative of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
