With Union Minister Giriraj Singh's remarks against her sparking a major controversy, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said she would not like to respond to people with narrow mindset. While talking to mediapersons on Thursday, she said, “I do not think it is proper to respond to persons having narrow mentality.”
Giriraj Singh had kicked up a row with his remarks asking whether Congress would have accepted Sonia Gandhi's leadership had she not been white-skinned. “Had Rajiv Gandhi married a Nigerian woman and if she was not a white-skinned woman, would the Congress have then accepted her leadershipIJ" he told journalists. Various women leaders also attacked Singh, who is Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, saying it reflected his racial mindset and attitude towards women.
The Minister, who had courted controversies with remarks during lok Sabha elections like people opposed to Narendra Modi can go to Pakistan, also mocked Rahul Gandhi's absence from the political scene and likened it to the missing Malaysian airliner.
Meanwhile, to a query on Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's sabbatical, Sonia Gandhi said, “Rahul will come back soon and he will soon go in the midst of farmers.” Earlier, Sonia assured farmers in Madhya Pradesh, who suffered severe crop loss due to the recent untimely rains that she will fight for their rights and ensure adequate compensation for them. Gandhi arrived this morning at the Neemuch air strip to meet farmers in the district and take stock of the damage caused to the crops due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm in various parts of the State recently.
Gandhi has so far visited Jamunia Kalan, Bhatkheda, Maalkheda, Nevad, Semli Chandrawat, Sarvania Maharaj, Morvan, Madavada villages in the district. later, she headed towards Diken and Kanjarda villages in Neemuch to meet the farmers.