Have utmost respect for Smriti Irani: Sharad Yadav regrets

Two days after the veteran lawmaker's utterance-" I know what you are"-at Irani during exchanges on his earlier comment on "dusky south Indian women" invited a sharp criticism for "improper" behaviour, the veteran lawmaker apparently sought to put an end to the heated debate centring around him in Parliament for the last few days.

The development came after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley brought up the issue in the Rajya Sabha and said  Yadav's comment on Irani  "has created a very improper impression."

He requested the JD(U) leader "to please clarify and put an end to this issue."

"I regret that this happened,"  Yadav said. "I respect Smritiji so much that when there was a controversy over her educational degree, I was the first to defend her. I did not mean to say to her what was printed in newspapers."

"I respect Ms Irani so much that I never miss any debate related to her ministry," he said.

On Monday, Irani criticised Yadav over offensive comments that he had made about women's complexion in Parliament last week. "I appeal to the gentleman  not to make comments on colour of skin of women in this manner," she had said.

This made Yadav to say, "I know what you are" as Irani and other lawmakers objected strongly.

On Monday, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said he wished to dissociate himself from the comments made by Mr Yadav, who mentioned the minister during a discussion on the Insurance Bill, deviating to talk about "our affinity for people with white skin."

He had contested DMK lawmaker Kanimozhi's protest saying: "Your God is dark like Ravi Shankar Prasad, but your matrimonial ads insist on white-skinned brides."

"The bodies of women from the south are as good as they are beautiful," was also a comment what he added.

Despite protests within and outside Parliament, Yadav stuck to his ground and refused to apologise, claiming that he had said nothing wrong.