New Delhi: Refusing to react on the racist barb against her by Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Giriraj Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has simply called him a person with "narrow mentality". "It's difficult for me to react on remarks of such people having such a narrow mentality. I cannot comment on such remarks," said Sonia while refusing to elaborate.
Known for making controversial and bizarre statements, Giriraj had claimed that the white colour of Sonia Gandhi's skin made her the Congress President.
"If Rajiv Gandhi had married a Nigerian and if she wasn't white skinned, would Congress accept her as a leader" Singh, the BJP Lok Sabha MP from Bihar's Nawada constituency, had said on Wednesday in Hajipur, a few kilometres from Patna.
Condemning the comment, Sonia said, "Its difficult for me to react on remarks of such people having such a narrow mentally."
Even after expressing regret over his comment, Singh received a lot of criticism from various sections of the society. A group of Congress workers on Thursday staged a protest against Singh outside a residential complex where he lives, seeking his resignation over his remark on Gandhi.
Shobha Oza, president of the Congress women's wing, slammed the minister saying, "It is unacceptable for a minister to use such language. We won't accept anything short of Giriraj's resignation."
Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law took to social media to express his disgust. "Is this the way we speak about a lady, who has undergone hardships all through her life and has lost her loved ones for the nation," Vadra said.
The comment received a lot of flak from the Congress party which immediately demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Strongly condemn sexist and racist remarks made by minister Giriraj Singh referring to Sonia Gandhi. Does the Prime Minister support him?" said a disapproving RPN Singh.
Another rival of the BJP, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM), too castigated Giriraj Singh for his racist comments.
"He is a serial offender. The PM has a duty to publicly correct this situation. What is the PM's Mann ki Baat on this? His silence reflects encouragement," said CPIM leader Brinda Karat.
Singh had stoked controversy during the Lok Sabha election campaign when he said that those who opposed Narendra should go to Pakistan while addressing a rally in Jharkhand's Deoghar district on April 19, 2014. Three FIRs were lodged against him at Deogarh, Bokaro and Patna for his hate speeches.
In another instance, Singh had again sparked a row by asking why all terrorists belonged to one community.
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