Giriraj Singh's racist remark: Sonia Gandhi refuses to comment on "people having narrow mindset"

Neemuch: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday refused to comment on Union Minister Giriraj Singh's remarks, which drew the fire on Wednesday.

Despite the fact that Congress workers took to streets today demanding sacking of Singh for his controversial remarks, the party chief said she would not like to make make a comment on people who have a narrow mindset.

"I don't think it is proper to respond to persons having narrow mentality," Gandhi told reporters after surveying the damaged crops and meeting farmers in Neemuch district in Madhya Pradesh.

The minister has 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 (Sonia's) leadership?" he had told journalists on Tuesday.

The comments were slammed by a furious Congress which asked the Prime Minister to dismiss him and apologise to the nation. Various women leaders also attacked Singh, saying it reflected his racial mindset and attitude towards women.

The BJP, however, distanced itself from the controversial remark and called the matter `closed`.

Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah, however, reportedly called up the minister of state for micro, small and medium enterprises and rebuked him for the remark on Sonia Gandhi.

The Nigerian mission in New Delhi indicated it might take up the issue with the Indian government.

After the remarks caused outrage, Giriraj Singh expressed regret and said his remarks were made during an off-the-record conversation.