Maha MLC triggers row with his remarks on soldiers

BJP-backed Maharashtra MLC Prashant Paricharak has triggered a political row after making controversial remarks about soldiers at an election rally.

"A soldier gets a telegram from his wife that she has delivered a baby. As he distributes sweets to his colleagues on the border as celebration, his colleagues ask him the reason behind it.

"He happily tells that his wife has given a birth to a baby boy...But he has not visited him home during whole year. This is the level of politics we have stooped to," Paricharak said in Solapur district yesterday at the rally held in support of the BJP candidates in the fray for the local bodies polls.
 

The remarks were made in the context of his criticism of the NCP leaders who he said were taking credit for water supply from Ujani dam in Solapur district, which is a sensitive issue in the arid belt.

As the video clip of his speech went viral, Paricharak got slammed.

NCP's Dhananjay Munde, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, said, "Paricharak's statement reveals the BJP's mindset towards the jawans and their wives. He has insulted the brave jawans and the party (BJP) should be punished by voting out."

Eleven Zilla Parishads and 118 Panchayat Samitis in the state are going to polls in the second and final phase tomorrow.

Paricharak, however, today expressed "regret" over his choice of words.

In a video released, the MLC said he was only trying to highlight the "credit-seeking" mindset of his political opponents.

"I made the statement in that context, but later I realised that it has hurt the sentiments of jawans and their wives. I had no such intentions and I express my regrets. It will not happen again," he said.

Basically an NCP leader, Paricharak was elected to the Upper House of state legislature last year on the support of BJP as an independent.