Minister denies making statement about provocative clothing

Women and Child Welfare Minister CC Patil today denied having made a statement favouring women wearing clothes which are not provocative.

"I said something, and it was reported as something else", Patil told reporters here.

A section of the press reported him quoting yesterday: "I personally don't favour women wearing provocative clothes and always feel they need to be dignified in whatever they wear".

Patil said today: "Don't try to create a controversy in the new year".

The minister declined to repeat what he had said yesterday when asked to do so.