The Congress leader's statement invited severe criticism from the BJP forcing him to tender an apology.
A day after he used derogatory words against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath while criticising him over the Unnao rape case, Karnataka Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao on Sunday apologised for his remark.
Rao, Karnataka Congress' Working President, while participating in a candle march organised by his party against the Unnao and Kathua incidents had slammed Yogi Adityanath while demanding PM Narendra Modi to sack the Uttar Pradesh CM.
"PM Modi should sack Yogi Adityanath as he is not a Yogi but a 'dhongi'. He should be beaten up and not allowed to enter Karnataka next time," Rao had said.
"Adityanath is a disgrace to Indian politics, he is unfit to be CM of Uttar Pradesh, if he had any decency he would have resigned by now," news agency ANI quoted Rao, as saying.
The Congress leader's statement invited severe criticism from the BJP forcing him to tender an apology.
"Father of Unnao victim has died, the girl is threatening to immolate herself. What kind of governance is this? I, however, regret the kind of words I used for him (UP CM). This is an emotional & sensitive issue for me," Dinesh Gundu Rao said.
Earlier, describing Rao's statement as 'appalling', former Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa gave the row a new twist by saying that the Congress will have to face consequence for disrespecting a 'saint'.
"Dinesh Gundu Rao's choice of words to address Yogi Adityanath ji has appalled me. Utter disrespect to a CM & a revered Natha family saint. The millions of Natha Panth followers of Karnataka will never forgive this. I sympathise with you and your party’s culture," Yeddyurappa had tweeted.
