Home Minister Sends Sharp Rebuke to VK Singh Over 'Dog Remark'

New Delhi: Facing anger over union minister VK Singh's controversial "dog" comment on the killing of two young children from a Dalit or underprivileged family in Haryana, the government today delivered a stern message.

"Ministers must be careful while making statements. We cannot get away by saying that the statement was misinterpreted or twisted," Home Minister Rajnath Singh said.

General VK Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs and a former army chief, had said yesterday: "If someone throws stones at a dog, the government is not responsible."

The comment was seen as extraordinarily insensitive, as the minister was responding to questions on the killing of a two-year-old boy and his 11-month-old sister, who died after their home was set on fire on Monday, allegedly by members of an upper caste, in Faridabad near Delhi.

The minister later tweeted: "My statement wasn't intended 2draw an analogy. My men & I put our lives on the line 4the nation irrespective of caste,creed & religion." The attempt at damage control has failed to check the tide of condemnation.

A police case has been filed against General Singh at the instance of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party has also filed a police complaint.

Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, described General Singh's comments as "totally insensitive."

"A central minister said the government is not responsible if stones are thrown at a dog. Comparing the killing of Dalit children pelting dogs with stones, you can only imagine what kind of mentality they have," Mr Kumar, the BJP's main rival in the ongoing Bihar polls, said.

In a sign that the controversy might sting the BJP in the middle of the Bihar election, its ally and union minister Ram Vilas Paswan had openly said on the minister's remarks: "I don't descend to such low talk, have never done it with any issue."

Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju has also been criticized for saying that he agreed with a view that north Indians "take pride in and enjoy" breaking rules.