New Delhi, Feb. 16 (PTI): A nine-year-old girl has refused to drink Dabur Real juice because the label on its pack said it was meant for "him", prompting Union minister Maneka Gandhi to ask the manufacturer to look into the matter.

Dabur has agreed to make changes to its packaging, while maintaining that it used "him" on the pack to connote all children - boys and girls.

The intervention from Maneka, the women and child development minister, followed a letter to her by the girl's father who wrote that Dabur's Real juice brand needs "to show some respect to our daughters".

"My 9-year-old daughter asked me yesterday that whether 200ml carton of Real fruit juices can be consumed only by boys... I was caught aback and could not reply to her," wrote Mriganka K. Majumdar.

His daughter was referring to a label on the juice carton which read: "Something that's good for your child should also make him smile." This is accompanied by an image of a boy in school uniform.

Dabur said in a statement: "The use of the term 'him' on the pack is not gender-specific and was used in a more general sense to connote children and not any specific gender."

It added: "However, we have taken into account Mr Majumdar's concern and will make the necessary amendments to avoid any such misunderstanding in the future."

The 200ml pack of Dabur Real juice only has an image of a boy. But the 1 litre pack also has an image of a girl.#

"The reason why I intervened is that it sends a message out and will set a precedent for future," Maneka said.