Raj minister sacked for calling Prez a 'cook'

New Delhi: Rajasthan rural development minister Ameen Khan, whose remarks on President Pratibha Patil triggered a controversy, submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday.

"Ameen Khan has quit his post and his resignation has been forwarded to Governor Shivraj Patil for acceptance," Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot said.

Amin Khan had been asked to put in his papers for making derogatory comments about President Prathiba Patil.

Khan had said that President Patil was \"rewarded\" for her loyalty to the Gandhi family.

Khan had created a furore by his remarks that Patil was "rewarded" with the post of President for her loyalty to the Gandhi family.

Gehlot had discussed the issue with Congress President Sonia Gandhi's Political Secretary Ahmed Patel and Union Minister Mukul Wasnik in-charge of party affairs in Rajasthan.

The Chief Minister is also understood to have talked to the President and expressed regrets over the remarks made by Khan.

Addressing Congress workers in Pali district on Tuesday, Khan had reportedly said that Patil did not ask for any position but was made the President due to her loyalty to the Gandhi family and cited instances of her association with Indira Gandhi.

A section of the local media quoted Khan as having told the party workers that Patil was so dedicated that "she used to make tea and cook food at Indira Gandhi's residence"

and due to her honesty,devotion and loyalty, she is now the President.

Khan, however, denied having said so.

Khan told reporters at his residence in Jaipur that he did not intend to insult the President and just gave an example of loyalty.

"I just gave an example of loyalty and did not intend to make any comment on the President. I said that she was a committed and simple worker," he said.

(With PTI inputs)

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