Ramdev says 'picnics and honeymoon' remark on Rahul 'misinterpreted', apologises

Yoga guru Ramdev said on Saturday his remark against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi that he goes to houses of Dalits for "picnics and honeymoon" was misinterpreted adding he never meant to demean the community. FIR against Ramdev for his 'honeymoon' remark on Rahul Gandhi

Yoga guru Ramdev said on Saturday his remark against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi that he goes to houses of Dalits for "picnics and honeymoon" was misinterpreted adding he never meant to demean the community.

An FIR has also been lodged against the yoga guru, who is supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party this elections, in Lucknow earlier in the day for his comment, according to reports.

"If the Dalit community's emotions have been hurt due to my comments, then I regret it," Ramdev told reporters.

He had made the comment about Gandhi on Friday during a media conference in the city.

Read: Rahul goes to dalit homes for picnics and honeymoon, says Ramdev

"Had he (Rahul) married a Dalit girl, who knows, he might have become the PM. Sonia says first become the PM and then bring a foreigner as bride. He goes to Dalit houses to have picnics and honeymoon."

On Thursday, Ramdev had said Gandhi wanted to marry a foreigner, but his mother didn't allow him to do as it could have marred his chances of becoming the prime minister.

Read: Rahul leads bachelor’s life out of compulsion, says Ramdev

Over the last couple of years, Gandhi has frequently visited Dalit homes across Uttar Pradesh, where he met the locals and shared meals with them.

Ramdev had later denied using the word "honeymoon" in the context of Dalit girls and in the sense the word usually carries.

Even his aide explained it as a "figurative use".

Read: Administration disallows Ramdev's PC, leaves yoga guru fuming