Eat fish to get eyes like Aishwarya Rai, entice women: Maharashtra minister

Mumbai: A senior BJP minister from Maharashtra has courted controversy by asking women to consume fish regularly to have ‘smooth skin and sparkling eyes’ as those of actress Aishwarya Rai Bacchan. Eating fish will also help men to entice women, he said.

Tribal minister Vijaykumar Gavit, while addressing an event in Nandurbar district, said, “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 such beautiful eyes,” said Gavit.

“There are two benefits of eating fish. Women will look good by eating fish and eyes also look sparkling. Anyone who looks at them gets enticed easily. The fish also contains some oils, it makes your skin smooth,” he added.

Incidentally, Gavit’s daughter Heena is a BJP MP from Nandurbar Lok Sabha constituency. His comments were captured on video and subsequently went viral on social media.

Gavit was slammed by the opposition parties which questioned him for the ‘frivolous’ nature of the remarks.

Senior NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad sarcastically said that the BJP minister should conduct training classes on how to entice girls. “They have nothing to do with the major issues faced by the state. They are just happy over becoming ministers,” he said.

Facing backlash, Gavit later issued a clarification stating, “Since I was addressing the tribals, it was important for me to provide them with an ideal example. The media has taken it out of context. I, too, have daughters and Aishwarya is like my daughter. She is a reasonable woman and would understand that explaining the benefits of fish oil isn’t simple. The fish in the Arabian Sea is a rich source of omega-3, which is essential for dry eyes, glaucoma and overall health.”