Despite Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Giriraj Singh expressing regret for his remarks on Sonia Gandhi, the Congress Party on Monday demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter.
"Congress is demanding an unqualified apology from the government, especially from the Prime Minister, because this is not the first time. This is in continuation of his earlier statements, which are very offensive," said Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi.
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan, however, said that Singh's apology should be accepted.
"Giriraj Singh has apologised. There are times when some statements are said intentionally and unintentionally, but it is his greatness that he has accepted his mistake. We should welcome the way Giriraj Singh has apologised today and accepted his mistake," he said.
In a suo moto statement in the Lok Sabha earlier today, Singh said if anyone was hurt by his remarks he feels sorry for it.
"I express regret... if anyone has been hurt by my statement. I didn't mean to insult anyone. My purpose was not to offend anyone," Singh said.
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The Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises had earlier faced wide spread condemnation for asking if the Congress Party would have accepted Sonia Gandhi had she not been white-skinned.
"If Rajiv Gandhi had married a Nigerian or if she (Sonia) wasn't white skinned, would Congress accept her as a leader?" the BJP MP from Bihar had told his supporters during a meeting in Hajipur.
