PUNE: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said political leaders should ensure that they do no make insulting statements against any community.
The senior NCP leader said this here in response to a query about party MLC Amol Mitkari's reported remarks allegedly ridiculing Hindu rituals in marriages at a speech in Sangli district of Maharashtra.
His comments were relating to the 'kanya daan' ritual followed during Hindu marriages.
"Political leaders, irrespective of parties, should ensure that no community or class is disappointed or insulted because of their statements," Pawar said.
While the opposition BJP has accused Mitkari of ridiculing a particular community and also Hindu priests in the speech, the NCP has sought to distance itself from the controversial comments.
Asked about reports that ministers of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra availed COVID-19 treatment in private hospitals using public money, Pawar said he paid the bill from his own pocket.
"Ask this question to those ministers (whose bills of private hospitals were paid by the government)," he added.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Ashish Shelar, who was in Pune, blamed the MVA government for the power crisis in the state and said citizens were facing hardships due to load shedding.
He added that the BJP will stage a state-wide protest against the "artificial" power shortage created by the state government.