Sonowal's 'Pandit Ravi Shankar' gaffe embarrasses minister

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today addressed Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as "Pandit Ravi Shankar", leaving the senior BJP leader embarrassed.

"I would like to specially thank Pandit Ravi Shankarji," Sonowal said in the beginning of his speech at the launch of the "Digital North East Vision 2022" document here.

Pandit Ravi Shankar was a sitar maestro, who passed away in 2012.

However, Prasad, who was sitting on the dais, was quick to interrupt Sonowal. "Ah, you made me Pandit!" he quipped, evoking a round of laughter from the audience that included Sonowal's counterparts from Meghalaya and Tripura, along with a host of other ministers and senior bureaucrats.

Rectifying himself, Sonowal continued with his speech, mentioning the proper name and designation of the Union information technology minister.

However, the chief minister tried to defend the blooper in the concluding part of his speech.

"I am sorry for calling you (Prasad) in that way. But whenever I pronounce your name, I have the tendency to call you as Pandit. God has been kind enough to bless you with such wisdom, maturity and courage. You do everything so sincerely. I always feel so (addressing you as Pandit)," he said.

In his speech, Sonowal highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives in developing the north-east, especially the connectivity.

Without naming former prime minister Manmohan Singh, he said, "Our representative remained as prime minister for 10 years, but he did not launch any exemplary scheme for the north-east."