BELAGAVI: After former BJP MLA Sanjay Patil kicked up controversy for stating that Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar “must have an extra peg to have good sleep”, a large group of women Congress workers gathered in front of his residence in Belagavi on Saturday night and staged a protest condemning his statement.
In a meeting of BJP workers in Belagavi rural assembly constituency on Saturday, Patil had remarked that “minister Laxmi Hebbalkar will not get a good sleep after seeing the increasing support of women for the BJP. She has to consume a sleeping pill or else will have to consume one extra peg to get good sleep”.
Later, Hebbalkar condemned the statement, saying it is not only ugly, but disrespectful to the entire women folk. “Real Hindu culture lies in respecting women, but Patil has shown the real culture of the BJP,” she had said.
The party workers also tore a poster of Patil and then raised slogans against him. They demanded Patil openly apologise to Hebbalkar. The police tried to convince the agitating women to withdraw the protest, but failed initially. The agitators demanded that Patil come out from the house “if he is a man”. The agitators finally withdrew their protest on the request of police.
Meant peg of energy drink not liquor: Patil
“I have not spoken lightly about women or minister Laxmi Hebbalkar. I never mentioned her name anywhere in my speech. It is being made a big issue for political mileage,” said former BJP MLA Sanjay Patil. “I meant peg of energy drink, not liquor,” he added.
Speaking to media persons here on Sunday, he said, “I said ‘Akkabai’ (elder sister) in my speech, so is Hebbalkar the only one who is called ‘Akkabai’ in Belagavi?”
“I have respect for women. But, Hebbalkar is trying to make it a big issue for political mileage. She sent hundreds of women to my house to stage a protest by misusing her powers. My mother is 90 years old, and I am a heart patient. Is it right for so many women to come to my house and blame me in singular?”
‘Insult to entire fraternity’
Reacting to former BJP MLA Sanjay Patil’s statement, Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar said Patil insulted not only me, but to the entire women fraternity.
“I am a woman from the Lingayat community. This is insult to the entire community. I appeal women of the entire state to condemn this act.”