Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe on Wednesday stated that his remarks on Nagpur's iconic Saoji chicken were based solely on his personal experience with spicy food and were never intended to target the Saoji community or question the quality of the cuisine.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Mundhe said his earlier statement had been taken out of context after it drew criticism from restaurant owners and members of the Saoji community, who argued that it had hurt the reputation of one of Nagpur's most celebrated culinary traditions.