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BJP Minister Giriraj Singh Says He 'Regrets' Hurting Sonia, Rahul With His Racist Remarks

BJP Minister Giriraj Singh Says He 'Regrets' Hurting Sonia, Rahul With His Racist Remarks
NEW DELHI,INDIA MARCH 16: Giriraj Singh Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) at Parliament during Parliament Budget Session.(Photo by Yasbant Negi/India Today Group/Getty Images)
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NEW DELHI,INDIA MARCH 16: Giriraj Singh Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) at Parliament during Parliament Budget Session.(Photo by Yasbant Negi/India Today Group/Getty Images)

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Giriraj Singh said he "regretted" any grief he has caused to Sonia or Rahul Gandhi, or any others for his comments on Sonia Gandhi's skin colour. The 62-year-old Minister of State for MSME (Micro Small and Medium Enterprises) told ANI in an interview that he regretted any hurt he may have "inadvertently" caused anyone.

"Whether it's Soniaji or Rahulji or others who have been upset with my words, then I regret it," he said.

Singh had kicked up a political storm on Wednesday when a recorded video of him making racist remarks against Congress President Sonia Gandhi emerged on Wednesday. In the video, he had questioned if Gandhi would have been accepted by Congress if she didn't have "white skin". He had alleged that she wouldn't have found the same reception if she was of Nigerian origin, alluding to a darker skin tone.

If Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi are hurt by my statements,I regret what I said: Giriraj Singh,BJP #MindYourLanguage

https://t.co/sg7Z1NP2bg

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) April 1, 2015

Singh claimed that his comments that emerged in media reports on Wednesday were off the record conversations that he said many people — and politicians — can have in private or public gatherings. He also alleged that his comments were presented in a way that was unfair.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.