Mumbai: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here was left red faced on Monday after a video of a senior Minister peeing in public went viral, with many raising questions on the government’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

A video clip showed Water Conservation Minister Ram Shinde urinating in public on the Solapur-Barshi Road while on an official tour on Saturday.

Ironically, the video hit the social media on Sunday, which was celebrated as the World Toilet Day, causing major embarrassment to the ruling alliance.

However, Shinde defended himself on the ground that he was unwell and had to relieve himself in the open while he was on a tour to see the implementation of the Jal Yukta Shivar, a water conservation programme designed to make the state drought-free.

“I was on a tour to check the programme implementation of Jal Yukta Shivar and running temperature. There was no toilet in the vicinity and so I relieved myself in the open,” Shinde justified his action.