There are many ways to show respect to someone you hold in high regard. It could be through a simple gesture, an appreciative remark or even a compliment for that matter. 

But what definitely isn’t equivalent to showing respect to someone is passing a rather distasteful comment on their body and making a cringe-worthy analogy out of it.

Something that Maharashtra Minister Gulabrao Patil learned the hard way after he ended up comparing smooth roads to the cheek of Bollywood veteran and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Hema Malini.

© Twitter

The incident occurred while the minister was addressing an election rally for Bodwad Nagar panchayat in the Jalgaon district on Sunday.  

Comparing the roads in his constituency of Jalgaon district to actor-lawmaker Hema Malini's cheeks, Patil said, “My challenge is to the person who has been MLA for 30 years (Eknath Khadse) to come towards my house (in his constituency, Jalgaon district) If the roads are not like Hema Malini's cheek, then I will resign.'' 

Why he felt the need to pull up such an objectionable analogy, was beyond us and a lot of other internet users who called Patil out of his misconduct and crass remarks. 

be scared from the wrath of dharmendra saheb

— Manish (@manibhaii16) December 20, 2021

Isko Sharm aati hai kya ??

— 5 trillion dollar economy (@mr_centrist) December 20, 2021

Isko Sharm aati hai kya ??

— 5 trillion dollar economy (@mr_centrist) December 20, 2021

I'll pay for the travel cost. Pls visit Jalgaon. The city roads are no where even closer to Om Puri's cheeks!

— Anuj Maheshwari (@anujpm) December 20, 2021

The comment instantly drew ire from political parties like the BJP and the NCP as well as a very strong reaction from the state women’s commission. 

Defending his colleague’s statement, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said, "this type of comparison has happened earlier too. It's a respect for Hema Malini. So, don't see it negatively. Earlier, Lalu Yadav had also given a similar example. We respect Hema Malini."

This type of comparison has happened earlier too. It's a respect for Hema Malini. So, don't see it negatively. Earlier, Lalu Yadav had also given a similar example. We respect Hema Malini: Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena MP pic.twitter.com/qksjYfR9Vw

— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2021

MP Hema Malini reacted to the statement and admitted that the trend indeed was started by Lalu Yadav, and insisted on how it shouldn’t be used anymore. 

She also said, “This wasn’t in good taste and women should not be talked about like this.”

Meanwhile, Twitter users had mixed reactions to the fiasco where some of them made fun of the Maharashtra Minister for making such a comparison, while others were glad that it wasn’t compared to ‘Uddhav Thackerey’s spine’. 

A lot of people also slammed Patil for making such crass remarks over a woman and her body and called him out for objectifying women.

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