Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday strongly disapproved party leader CP Joshi’s reported statement that appeared to suggest that only Brahmins could speak about Hindus. CP Joshi’s statement, Gandhi said, was against the ideals of the Congress party and told him to express regret. “Party leaders should not give any statement that hurt any section of the society... I am sure Joshi ji will realise his mistake, keeping party’s principles in mind,” Gandhi said on Twitter. The apology came soon after. Joshi, who had accused the BJP of twisting his statement and condemned its “fabricated use”, also tweeted his regret. The Congress president’s swift and public censure for his senior Rajasthan leader’s statement is grounded in the assessment that it could give the ruling BJP a handle to target the Congress in the middle of the Rajasthan campaign that goes to polls on December 7.