Rajasthan tourism minister distances himself from son’s remarks against Rahul Gandhi

The comments by Anirudh had embarrassed Singh, who is a senior minister in the Ashok Gehlot government.

Tagging another report on Rahul Gandhi’s remark at a separate London event that the BJP would not be in power “eternally”, Anirudh tweeted: “Can he not speak all this garbage in India? Or he genetically prefers European soil?”

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A day after his son Anirudh grabbed the headlines over his criticism of Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Tourism minister Vishvendra Singh Thursday distanced himself from the comments, saying he doesn’t agree with them.

Issuing a statement, Singh, who is the cabinet minister for tourism and civil aviation, said that “such comments should not be associated with me.” He said he “does not agree with the comments and has nothing to do with them”, and that “it could be the personal opinion of the person who Tweeted.”

The comments by Anirudh had embarrassed Singh, who is a senior minister in the Ashok Gehlot government.

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Taking to Twitter Wednesday, Anirudh had fired salvos at Rahul Gandhi. Tagging a news report quoting Rahul Gandhi as saying at an event in London, organised in the Grand Committee Room of the British House of Commons, that “Mikes in our Parliament are silenced”, Anirudh tweeted: “He has gone bonkers. Who insults one’s own country in another country’s Parliament. Or perhaps he considers Italy his homeland.” Rahul’s mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was born in Italy.

His comments had drawn criticism from some quarters, especially within the Congress. Anirudh identifies as a Sachin Pilot loyalist.