Agencies
MUZAFFARPUR, APRIL 2
In a setback for Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Giriraj Singh, a court in Bihar on Thursday directed the police to register a case against him on the basis of a complaint filed by a Congress worker for his alleged ‘racist’ remarks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
The complaint was field by Congress worker Sanjay Kumar Singh in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Ved Prakash Singh, who transferred the case to the court of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Anju Singh.
The SDJM directed Mithanpura police station to register a case against the minister on the basis of the complaint, Sumit Kumar, lawyer of the petitioner, said. The SDJM gave the order to Mithanpura police station under Section 166 of IPC (public servant disobeying law with intent to cause injury to any person).Giriraj Singh, who had been in news for making objectionable comments in past, had stoked a fresh controversy on Tuesday when he told reporters in Patna that he wondered if former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had married a woman who was not white-skinned, would the Congress have accepted her as its president.
“If Rajiv Gandhi had married a Nigerian and if she wasn’t white-skinned, would the Congress accept her (Sonia Gandhi) as a leader,” he said.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi today refused to comment on Singh’s remarks, which was severely criticised by the opposition parties.
Despite several protests by the Congress workers across the country demanding sacking of Singh for his controversial remarks, Sonia Gandhi today said she would not like to make make a comment on ‘people who have a narrow mindset.’
While Congress demanded his dismissal, Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra said that he was “appalled” at the remark which was a reflection of the BJP leader’s lack of respect for women.
After the remarks caused outrage, Giriraj Singh expressed regret and said that his remarks were made during an off-the-record conversation.
“During off-the-record conversation, there is talk of different kinds. How it was presented... If Sonia-ji or Rahul-ji have been hurt by my remarks, I express regret,” he had said.
Congress protests minister’s remark on Gandhi
Congress workers on Thursday protested union Minister Giriraj Singh’s remark on party president Sonia Gandhi’s skin colour that triggered an outrage with many party leaders condemning it.
Over 50 Delhi Pradesh Mahila Congress members staged a demonstration outside the Bharatiya Janata Party’s office at Ashoka Road here.
Holding Congress party flags, the protestors raised slogans against the minister of state for micro, small and medium enterprises, and called for his resignation.
Giriraj Singh told reporters in Patna on Tuesday: “If Rajiv Gandhi had married a Nigerian and if she wasn’t white-skinned, would the Congress have accepted her as a leader.”
This comment triggered an outrage following which Giriraj Singh backtracked and said he regretted making the remark. On Thursday, members of the Congress party raised slogans saying: “Naari ka apmaan. Modiji ki chuppi” (Modi is silent while women are being insulted).
“At least 46 women protestors were taken in a bus to the Tilak Marg police station where they were detained and released later,” said a police official.
Earlier, a few Congress workers protested outside Vithal Bhai Patel House in New Delhi area around 9.30 a.m. and were detained by police.
“Some 30-32 people were protesting and were detained,” Joint Commissioner of Police M.K. Meena told IANS.
Some of the protestors wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to act in the matter.
