Mumbai, Aug 8: AICC Secretary Shyoraj Jivan Valmiki on Wednesday stirred a controversy by saying Rahul Gandhi had vowed not to marry to prevent "dynastic rule" but apologised soon for the gaffe.
Talking to reporters here, Valmiki first said that Rahul had vowed that he would not marry in order to prevent 'vanshwad' (dynastic rule).
However, when asked to repeat his statement, he refused to do so and instead apologised.
"I read it somewhere that he (Rahul) had said that he will not marry so as to prevent dynastic rule," Valmiki said.
He later apologised and said, "I may be wrong and therefore want to apologise."
The Congress leader then changed the course of the media interaction and attacked Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for the 2002 riots in that state.
"Jahan tak sawaal hai uss daadhiwale ka...Vikas nahi vinaash kiya hai' (The man with beard has not developed Gujarat but has destroyed it)," he said.
Asked about the remarks of Congress Minister Narayan Rane's son Nitesh on Gujaratis, Valmiki said, "we will ask him not to make such controversial statements."
"I have taken a political stand. I have stated clearly that people living in Mumbai who feel that Gujarat is developing better than us (Maharashtra) or those who feel that Modi is developing Gujarat better than us, why don't they go there," Nitesh had said.
