Chandigarh/Patna/New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari's "regret" for his remarks likening Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad to "dogs who lick the feet of the Congress and Sonia (Gandhi)", failed to cut ice with the two leaders and their parties threatened legal action and even to pay him back in the same coin.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) remained adamant on taking on Gadkari for his unparliamentary language.
Gadkari at a press meet in Chandigarh Thursday said: "I regret the comment made yesterday (Wednesday) and take back my words. I have a lot of respect for Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad. The comment created a wrong impression."
"Meri baat ki bhavna alag thi (The essence of my comment was different). I did not want to hurt anyone," the BJP chief added.
In Uttar Pradesh, SP activists Thursday indulged in violence in Allahabad and Lucknow districts over Gadkari's disparaging remarks against their party chief Mulayam Singh, police said.
Gadkari Wednesday night accused Mulayam Singh and Lalu Prasad of betraying the opposition on the recent cut motions in parliament.
" 'Bade dakarte the sher jaise, aur kutte ke jaise ban kar Sonia-ji aur Congress ke ghar par talve chatne lage' (These leaders were roaring like lions but later bowed like dogs to lick the feet of Sonia and the Congress)," he told a rally in Chandigarh Wednesday night.
An outraged Lalu Prasad said in Patna that he refused to accept Gadkari's retraction. He said firmly that he doesn't believe in apologies and would teach the opposition leader a lesson in decency.
"Gadkari needlessly used shameful words. Called us dogs who lick feet. Previous BJP chiefs, including L.K. Advani, would have never used such shameful words even as they severely criticised us. We are taking it seriously," an unforgiving Lalu Prasad told reporters.
"We don't believe in apologies and words being taken back. We will teach him a lesson in decency. We too have phrases but we won't use them," Lalu Prasad said.
In New Delhi, the SP said it would file a case of caste discrimination against Gadkari.
"His remarks reflect caste discrimination. We will take legal opinion and file a case against him," SP spokesperson Mohan Singh told IANS.
Referring to Gadkari's expression of regret, he said the BJP leader should also apologise to crores of Dalits and people of backward classes and minorities.
The RJD and SP leaders have sought Gadkari's resignation and even asked the BJP to sack him.
A handful of RJD workers gathered outside the Chandigarh Press Club and shouted slogans against Gadkari and the BJP as the leader left the venue after his interaction with reporters.
Beyond the regret, the BJP president refused to say anything more.
"I have already said what I wanted to. I don't want to add anything more to it," Gadkari told reporters in Chandigarh.
In Patna, the RJD leaders remained defiant.
The RJD's Chhotu Singh said: "We burnt effigies of Gadkari at busy Dak Bungalow Square in Patna to show our anger and to protest his abusive remarks against Lalu Prasad."
Senior RJD leader Ram Kirpal Yadav told IANS: "We will not sit silent. We are ready to expose Gadkari's narrow mindset."
In Lucknow, several activists took to the streets shouting anti-BJP slogans, targeted vehicles in Hazratganj area and clashed with the police.
In Allahabad, SP workers indulged in vandalism at a BJP office in the Civil Lines and roughed up several BJP workers there, damaging furniture and other office property.
Police used force in both the districts to disperse the SP activists. Over 50 SP workers were detained.
"Taking into account the series of protests by the SP activists, security has been beefed around the BJP office," inspector R.B Singh told reporters in Allahabad.