Apparently on a drive to promote Swachh Bharat campaign (Clean India drive), district magistrate of Bihar's Aurangabad Kanwal Tanuj ended up telling a poor villager that if he did not have money to build a toilet at home, he should sell his wife.

DM Kanwal Tanuj had gone to meet the villagers in Aurangabad district to spread awareness about building toilets and to tell them why open defecation was bad for everyone. But, he stirred a huge controversy with his uncharitable remarks.

The DM was seen addressing a gathering at a village in the district where he tried to link toilet with the dignity of women. He said, "Save the dignity of your women if you can. How poor are you? Raise your hands and tell me if the value of your wife is lower than Rs 12,000. Listen to me first. Don't raise your hands."

Then Kanwal Tanuj said, "Which man would say that take the dignity of my wife and give me Rs 12,000? Is there anyone like that?"

#WATCH Aurangabad's DM Kanwal Tanuj says, " go sell your wife" to a person while addressing a public gathering on cleanliness (22.07) #Bihar pic.twitter.com/kqkQpVdC1q - ANI (@ANI_news) July 23, 2017

Responding to his open queries thrown at the villagers, one from the audience said that he did not have enough money to build a toilet at home. "Sir, I don't have the money to build a toilet," the man said.

DM Kanwal Tanuj responded by saying, "I will talk to you. If that is the case then go and sell your wife. If this is the mentality you have then go and sell your wife. So many people talk about advance payment, they get advance and then spend it on useless things. "

In Septmber, 2016 Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had launched two schemes as part of his Saat Nishchay or Seven Resolves of state government. The schemes were Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal and Shauchalay Nirman, Ghar Ka Sammaan.

The schemes were part of larger Clean India drive. The schemes were cover all towns and villages of the state by the end of 2019.

Under the Shauchalay Nirman, Ghar Ka Sammaan, a beneficiary is given an aid of Rs 12,000 by the state government for building toilets to end open defecation. DM Kanwal Tanuj was addressing the gathering about the same scheme.

ALSO READ:

Rajasthan activist Zafar Khan objects to photography of women defecating in open, gets beaten to death

Delhi: Man beaten to death for stopping 2 youths from urinating in public

ALSO WATCH:

Rajasthan activist lynched for objecting to women being photographed