I am not a sycophant: Arjun Singh

Embroiled in a controversy over the loyalty issue, the HRD minister says whether somebody agrees to it or not, he thinks the AICC knows that he is not a sycophant.

Embroiled in a controversy on the loyalty issue, HRD minister Arjun Singh on Monday asserted he was not a sycophant even as he alleged off-the-record briefings have been institutionalised in the party.

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"Whether somebody agrees to it or not, I think the AICC knows that I am not a sycophant," Singh told Aaj Tak news channel.

Singh, who was reacting to a question on the recent AICC statement that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi kept away from sycophancy, said, "I don't even know whether those remarks were for me or not. Those remarks must be for someone else."

Asked if the controversy surrounding him was due to his opponents in the party or the trend of off-the-record briefings, he claimed: "Off-the-record briefings have been institutionalised and I am neither bothered nor am I interested to know who all are doing it."

In an interview to the Times Now channel, the senior leader rejected the view that there was any tension between him and the Congress high command and said that contrary to reports, greetings were exchanged between him and the party President at a function.

"Never felt it for a moment. That's all I can say. I never felt it. No, certainly they (greetings) were exchanged. But you don't exchange courtesy and give it to the press," Singh said.