'Name liquor after women to boost sales', BJP minister says
A Maharashtra BJP minister put his foot in his mouth yesterday when he proposed a way to increase sales of alcohol: 'name brands after women'. Condemning the "unfortunate" statement, both Shiv Sena and Congress asked if the BJP supported the comments and whether it was pro-alcohol. NCP wondered if Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan was intoxicated when he said it. Mahajan later apologized.
Watch: Girish Mahajan's comments on liquor
What did Girish Mahajan say?
Speaking at an event organized by a liquor manufacturer, Mahajan said how liquors given names like 'Bobby' or 'Julie' will sell more. "Tobacco products are sold only because they're named after women," he said. Then he advised the company to rename its liquor from 'Maharaja' to 'Maharani'.
Congress, Shiv Sena, NCP slam Mahajan and BJP
Saamana, the Sena mouthpiece, condemned the statements when "in a lot of places in Maharashtra, women are protesting against the sale of liquor". It noted how the BJP had supported JD(U)'s alcohol ban in Bihar but their minister is now saying this. NCP leader Nawab Malik called Mahajan a "habitual drinker" and remarked he had probably "consumed four bottles of 'Maharaja' in the night".
Mahajan issues an apology
Mahajan is not new to controversies
Mahajan, a close aide of CM Devendra Fadnavis, is not new to controversies. Once he carried a gun to a school program in Jalgaon, causing an uproar. Another time, he threatened NCP leader MLA Satish Patil and showed him his fist. Mahajan was warned by the Assembly speaker. Recently, he was spotted at the wedding of gangster Dawood Ibrahim's wife's niece in Nashik.
