Sriprakash Jaiswal, a senior Indian minister, has apologized for his remarks that wives lose their appeal with age.
Federal Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said he had been quoted out of context, and that he was joking when he made the remarks at a poetry meeting.
Sriprakash Jaiswal said he did “not want to insult women”, and he had no intention of hurting their feelings.
Women’s groups have expressed outrage and said Sriprakash Jaiswal’s comments were “very unfortunate”.
Sriprakash Jaiswal made the remarks at a Hindi language poetry meeting in the northern city of Kanpur on Monday night.
He was referring to the Indian cricket team winning a game against Pakistan in the ongoing World T20 championship in Sri Lanka.
“New victory and new wedding, both of them have their own importance. As time will pass, the victory will become old,” Sriprakash Jaiswal was reported as telling the meeting.
“As time passes, wife also becomes old, that charm does not sustain”.
After footage of Sriprakash Jaiswal’s comments was aired on TV channels, women’s groups and opposition parties criticized the minister and demanded an apology.
The main opposition BJP said the minister had made a “sexist remark” and called him “insensitive”.
The chairman of the National Commission for Women, Mamta Sharma, said the minister’s comments were “very unfortunate”.
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