Mumbai: Two days after suggesting that feminine brand names could boost liquor sales, State Minister for Water Resources and Irrigation and senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan apologised for doing so on Monday.
Mr. Mahajan made the remark at a function organised at the Satpuda Cooperative Sugar Factory in Nandurbar district on Saturday, which drew widespread criticism and a call for his resignation from the Opposition. “I have immediately regretted whatever I said. I apologise to all women,” he said at a hurriedly convened press conference. “I regret my remarks. I express my apologies. It wasn’t my intention to hurt women’s sentiments. [my remarks] are a mistake which happened unintentionally. It was not my intention to hurt anyone. It was said in the flow of things, in a lighter vein.”
At the event in Nandurbar, he had said liquor brands name after women were doing well across the world, such as the popular liquor brand Bobby in Poland. “That is why I asked [manufacturers] what is the name of your brand. You said Maharaja. Make it Maharani and see the difference and jump in sales. Even the tobacco industry is making the same mistake with brand names like Kamal and Vimal,” Mr. Mahajan had said while talking to liquor manufacturers. A video of his speech was uploaded on YouTube.
Allies, Oppn. cry foul
The BJP’s saffron ally, the Shiv Sena, said on Monday that it was shocking a Minister had made such comments, when women in the State have been protesting the sale of liquor. “It is ironical that the Maharashtra government organises events to sensitise people about the ill-effects of liquor consumption, changes law for the same, and a Minister of the same government gives advice for increasing its sales,” the Sena said in an editorial in its party mouthpiece, Saamana .
“You (Mr. Mahajan) may not be able to talk against liquor because of its heavy revenue generation but you should avoid giving such marketing tips. It seems that Mr. Mahajan himself is charged up to increase the sale of liquor, which could be because of dropping revenue figures,” it said, adding it was thankful the government doesn’t have a ministry for cemetaries. “If Mr. Mahajan headed such a ministry, he might have issued an advisory to increase deaths to boost the sale of items required for last rites.”
The Aam Aadmi Party said it was glad the minister was forced to apologise, but the mentality is deeply ingrained in the government. “I am glad we forced Mr. Mahajan to apologise. But his values, or rather the lack of them, is still despicable,” senior AAP leader Preeti Sharma Menon said.
NCP State spokesperson Nawab Malik said, “I think the Minister is a habitual drinker, and we appeal to all women in the State to come out and fight against this mindset.”
Activist files complaint
A police complaint has been filed against Mr. Mahajan in Chandrapur by Paromita Goswami, an activist and president of Shramik Elgaar, an unorganised sector labour union. The complaint was filed on Sunday at Mul police station.
Ms. Goswami said the Minister has insulted women. “As per the provisions under sub-section 47 of the Constitution, the government is supposed to implement a liquor ban in the State. I was taken aback by the statement by none other than a Minister in this regard, and hence have lodged a police complaint.” She said there would be protests if the police failed to register the FIR.
In 2015, the State government had declared Chandrapur district in Vidarbha a ‘dry district’, and imposed a ban on the sale, purchase, production and consumption of liquor. Chandrapur was the third district, after neighbouring Wardha and Gadchiroli, where prohibition was imposed.
Ms. Goswami said she would file a complaint against Mr. Mahajan with the Governor for his removal. She also demanded a statement in this regard from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
PI Jayvant Chavan, Mul police station, confirmed receipt of the complaint. “Paromita Goswami’s complaint has been forwarded to higher officers for legal opinion. The complainant has alleged that the Minister has violated sub-section 47 of the Constitution during his speech. However, there are no specific clauses under which the complaint could be registered,” he said. — With PTI inputs
