Maharashtra Minister And Senior Shiv Sena Leader Gulabrao Patil Apologies For Comparing Roads With Hema Malini Cheeks

Maharashtra Water Supply and Sanitation Minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Gulabrao Patil has offered apology for his distasteful comments comparing roads in his constituency Jalgaon Rural with actress turned BJP MP Hema Malini’s cheeks.

The minister claimed that his intention was to highlight the good roads in his assembly constituency and in case his remarks were misunderstood and hurt anyone, he would like to apologise.

Patil made the remarks while addressing an election meeting for the Bodhwad Nagar Panchayat polls in Jalgaon district. The video of his speech went viral on social media.

"Those who have been MLAs for 30 years should come to my constituency and see the roads. If they are not like Hema Malini's cheeks, then I will resign," the water supply and sanitation minister had said.

The remarks triggered widespread condemnation from political parties including the opposition BJP and the NCP. It also drew the state women’s commission’s ire.

Earlier last month, Rajendra Singh Gudha, a Congress leader from Rajasthan and a minister in CM Ashok Singh Gehlot's cabinet, courted controversy after remarks that roads should be like the cheeks of Hema Malini but added that the actor is "too old". He then went on to say roads should be like "Katrina Kaif's cheeks".

In 2019, PC Sharma, senior Congress leader and then Minister in Kamal Nath government compared the conditions of the roads in the state to the cheeks of BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya and said that Congress government will soon make them like Hema Malini.

In 2005, former Bihar CM and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had claimed that the roads in Bihar will soon be turned "as smooth as Hema Malini's cheeks".