AJIT PAWAR SAYS SORRY

'Didn't mean to hurt anyone' Mumbai (Agencies): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday apologised for his controversial comments on water shortage and loadshedding saying that he had hurt the sentiments of the people as well as the Legislature. Making a personal clarification after the Lower House witnessed noisy scenes and two adjournments over his remarks, Pawar admitted that he should have used his words carefully. "My comments on Saturday were not directed towards drought affected people and I had no intentions to hurt anybody's sentiments," he clarified. Pawar, who is the state Energy as well as Finance Minister, said the state government had accorded top priority to drought relief measures and the government stand had been made clear in this year's budget provisions as well as debates in the Legislature. The state government is committed to provide water, cattle fodder and waiver of students fees in drought affected areas. "I hope my comments will not affect the drought relief measures. The relief works will continue vigorously," he said. Opposition members continued to shout slogans against Pawar even as he was making the statement. After the statement, Speaker Dilip Walse Patil adjourned the House for 30 minutes. "If there is no water in the dam...Should we urinate into it?" Ajit Pawar had asked in a comment made on Saturday at an interior village in Indapur tehsil of Pune that kicked up a controversy for mocking farmers reeling under severe drought. The NCP leader followed up this comment laced with crass humour with another remark poking fun at loadshedding in the state stating, "I have noticed that more children are being born since the lights go off at night. There is no other work left then." The Opposition had earlier stalled the proceedings forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House twice. Protests against Pawar's remarks had seen Sudhir Mungantiwar, Devendra Phadanvis, Nana Patole (all BJP) and Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) moving to the well shouting slogans against the Deputy CM. Earlier, Pawar also apologised in the Legislative Council for his remarks. "The state government is very serious about combating drought and helping drought-affected people. It is the topmost priority of the government to tackle drought," Pawar said in the Upper House amid huge uproar by Opposition members. Sharad Pawar too apologises New Delhi: NCP chief Sharad Pawar has apologised for the controversial comments made by Ajit Pawar, terming them as "unwanted". "I duly apologise on the behalf of Deputy CM of Maharashtra for the unwanted comment that he had made," the Union Agriculture Minister said on micro-blogging site Twitter.