Maharashtra minister courts controversy after remark on Aishwarya Rai’s eyes

Maharashtra tribal development minister Vijaykumar Gavit courted a controversy on Monday after he said that Bollywood actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has got beautiful eyes because she used to eat fish regularly.

Gavit, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Nandurbar who is considered an influential tribal leader from north Maharashtra, was speaking at a function organised by the fishermen community in Dhule district, and he made the remark about the former Miss World while explaining the importance and benefits of eating fish.

“You must have seen the eyes of Aishwarya Rai. How beautiful they are. She grew up in the coastal area of Mangalore in Karnataka. She used to eat fish regularly and that’s why she has so beautiful eyes,” said Gavit, whose daughter Heena is a BJP MP from Nandurbar Lok Sabha constituency.

“If youths start eating fish, they will also look good and could win hearts of girls easily,” the minister advised the gathering. “The fish contain some oils, it makes your skin smooth,” he added.

The remark invited jibes from his own party. According to news agency PTI, BJP MLA Nitesh Rane said, “I eat fish daily. My eyes should have become like that (like those of Aishwarya Rai). I will ask Gavit sahib if there is any research on this.”

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Amol Mitkari said the minister should focus on issues faced by tribals, instead of making such “frivolous” comments, PTI reported.