After social media uproar, Manohar Parrikar explains `girls drinking beer` remark

Parrikar said he had only referred to the `school and college students` and had `not asked anyone not to drink`.

PANAJI: Facing the ire for saying that he was worried since girls have also started drinking beer, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar defended himself saying his words have been twisted.

Clarifying his remark, he said: "If someone wants to purposely twist the statement, we cannot help it. It was twisted in such a way that finally the interviewer (the person who had taken the public interview of Parrikar at the event) had to intervene and tweet that I was referring to school and college students," he said.

Parrikar said he had only referred to the "school and college students" and "not asked anyone not to drink". He also said his remarks were not an expression of fear, but a worry. "I had said it was my worry, not even fear. Worry is different from fear," he said, adding that "worry is fundamental to every person".

Parrikar had faced uproar after he expressed concern over girls consuming liquor. "I have begun to fear now because even girls have started drinking beer. The tolerance limit is being crossed. I am not talking about everyone. I am not talking about those sitting here," he was quoted as saying during his address to the State Youth Parliament organised by the state Legislature department.

His comment did not go down well with many as microblogging site Twitter was flooded with reactions, questioning the statement by the former defence minister. People tweeted in huge numbers with hashtag #GirlsWhoDrinkBeer to troll the Goa Chief Minister.