In a major embarrassment for the ruling BJP in Maharashtra on Saturday, one of its senior cabinet ministers virtually admitted to watching pornography before an audience comprising around 1,000 students.
The incident took place at a conference of Vidyarthi Hakka Parishad, which was addressed by Food and Civil Supplies minister Girish Bapat, who is also the guardian minister of Pune district, at the Bal Gandharva Rangmandir in Pune on Friday.
"I know what you all watch at night on TV and clips, right? You watch video clips at night... Because what you watch, even I watch... So don't think I am grown old... The leaves are still green," Bapat was heard saying in Marathi on television channels.
Chetan Oswal, a student, said: "During the course of his speech, the minister seemed to off-track and said that there are lot of things seen on television and claimed he was aware what people watch at night."
Stunned by the minister's utterances, Oswal and Yogesh Amte -- both students of Yeshwant Law College - lodged a complaint with the Deccan Police Station on Friday night.
Oswal said besides the minister, there were several legislators and women on the stage and in the audience.
Student activists of the Nationalist Congress Party took out a march outside Bapat's residence in the city in protest against his remarks.
Both Oswal and Amte said a senior leader like Bapat should have controlled himself in public instead of making such a confession.
"This not only puts the BJP in a bad light but also sends a wrong signal to the masses about the minister who is supposed to be a leader guiding people on the correct path," Oswal said.
After his comments led to a hue and cry in the auditorium, Bapat beat a hasty retreat.
