Maharashtra BJP chief apologises after ‘go home, cook’ remark on Supriya Sule

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil on Sunday apologised for his "go home and cook" remark against NCP MP Supriya Sule.

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil has apologised before the state women commission for his remarks on Nationalist Congress Party MP and Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule. The state women commission had sent a notice to Chandrakant Patil, seeking an apology for his remarks.

Patil said his remarks were misunderstood and that he was in the middle of an agitation over reservations for the Other Backward Classes (OBC). His remark was not intended to hurt any women, Patil said.

“In 45 years of my political career, I have always worked with various social organisations for the empowerment of women As the president of the BJP, which is the largest political party in the country, I have always promoted women’s representation in politics. We have 12 women MLAs in the state legislative assembly and five women MPs in the Lok Sabha representing Maharashtra I was in the midst of leading an agitation for OBC reservation in local bodies. I was agitated and upset as OBCs are deprived of reservations. It was at this moment when someone asked a question and I responded using a rural proverb” Patil said.

The BJP leader in his letter to the women’s commission added that he felt pained as he had to express regret on a remark that was misunderstood.

On Wednesday, Chandrakant Patil courted controversy when he said that Supriya Sule should go home and cook instead of being in politics.