Giriraj Singh denies having cried before PM over racist remarks

New Delhi, April 21

Union Minister Giriraj Singh denied having broken down before Prime Minister Narendra Modi after reports claimed that he had cried in front of the latter after he was reproached for his racist remarks on Sonia Gandhi.

The Union Minister rubbishing claims that he had even met the PM, after television channels reported that he had been rebuked for his remarks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi last month. Singh, minister of state for micro, small and medium enterprises, was under fire for claiming that Gandhi was only allowed to don the party’s leadership mantle because of her “fair skin”.

"The meeting had not taken place.  Who told you I had met him?" Singh said.

Furore over the remarks had Monday’s Lok Sabha proceedings when the Congress demanded an apology from Modi over the remarks, forcing the Parliament to be adjourned from a brief while. Singh was compelled to issue an apology over the remarks.

"I never meant to offend anyone. But if my comments hurt anyone's sentiments, I regret it," Singh said when Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked him to respond after the House saw loud protests by Congress members, who termed his remarks as an insult to womanhood and sought his resignation.

Last month, the minister had said: “Had Rajiv Gandhi married a Nigerian woman and if she was not a white-skinned woman, would the Congress have then accepted her (Sonia's) leadership."

Following outrage over the remarks, the Union Minister continued to maintain that they were made 'off the record' but expressed regret.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu sought to play down the issue by saying the subject was closed. — PTI