india

Updated: Oct 16, 2019 09:46 IST

Madhya Pradesh cabinet minister PC Sharma has promised to make roads in the state like “cheeks” of Lok Sabha member and film star Hema Malini.

The minister made the statement while on an inspection in Bhopal’s Habibganj area on Tuesday, reports ANI.

“Roads in Madhya Pradesh were built like that of Washington. What has happened to these roads now? After heavy rain, there are potholes everywhere. Presently, the condition of roads is like stains of smallpox. It seems that the condition of the roads has become like the cheeks of Kailash Vijayvargiya,” Sharma told reporters.

“These roads will be repaired within 15 days on the orders of Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Very soon we will make these roads like cheeks of Hema Malini,” ANI reported the minister as saying.

Sharma’s comments came after Gopal Bhargava, the leader of Opposition in Madhya Pradesh assembly, last week criticised the Kamal Nath government over the deteriorating condition of roads in the state.

But his reference to Washington appeared to be aimed at former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who had, in October 2017, created a stir by saying that roads in Madhya Pradesh were better than those in the United States.

On his return from the weeklong trip to the US, Chouhan had quoted a survey report to say that 92% of roads in Washington DC were in poor condition and that roads in Madhya Pradesh were better than those in the USA.

Gopal Bhargava had, on October 12, tweeted about the conditions of roads in the state.

“Roads in the state are shabby. Due to which, accidents are taking place every day. Instead of working, the state government runs away from responsibility by accusing the central government of not cooperating on everything. The state government has a large amount of budget. Out of which the government should spend to repair the roads,” he said.