Mumbai: Maharashtra Minister for Animal Husbandry, Mahadev Jankar, who was under fire from the opposition for using “derogatory” language against Nationalist Congress Party leaders Ajit Pawar and Dhananjay Munde, issued an apology on Thursday.
Jankar came under severe criticism from the NCP leaders after he targeted Pawar and Munde in choicest words during a rally in Bhagwangad on Dussehra. “I did not intend to hurt anybody personally. It is sad my speech was misconstrued. If people’s sentiments are hurt, I express my regret,” Jankar said in a statement.
Jankar added that he did not abuse anybody, but used a word that is used in rural areas to describe powerful people who resort to corrupt means. “I am not poor in my culture and tradition. I have not abused anybody. I only said the word prominently used in rural areas to describe powerful people resorting to corrupt means. One can check the dictionary meaning also,” he said
He added, “Everybody knows the root of corruption for the last several years and many people have spoken about this in their public speeches. Irrigation scam is the cause of many people’s sorrows and everybody knows who is involved.”
Meanwhile, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should rein in his ministers. Addressing the media Malik said that the allegations that Jankar levelled have not been proven against the leaders of his party. “If one goes by Jankar’s comment, then there are 22 ministers in the government who face allegations of wrongdoings. Should we use the same word used by Jankar against the ministers?” Malik said that the BJP leaders have stooped to a low level and that this is not Maharashtra’s political culture.
The NCP leader also asked Fadnavis to clarify whether Thursday’s Cabinet decision to provide 50 per cent fee waiver to students with family income of less than Rs 6 lakh was applicable to private and non-aided educational institutions.
