New Delhi: A day after MoS for External Affairs and former Indian army chief V K Singh's remarks over the killing of two Dalit children triggered a row, Union Home Minister Rajanth Singh on Friday said ministers and leaders should be "extra careful" while making any statement on any sensitive issue, ensuring whatever they are saying is not "misinterpreted".

"We can't get away by saying that (our) statement was misinterpreted. We need to be extra careful while putting forth our views," the home minister told media persons when asked about union minister V K Singh's use of an analogy of a dog on Thursday while talking about the death of two Dalit children in an arson attack in Haryana.

Asked about the gory killing by upper castes of the children in a Haryana village, the former army chief said:

"If someone throws stones at a dog, the government is not responsible. It was a feud between two families, the matter in under inquiry… The failure of the administration should not be blamed on the government."

V K Singh later apologised for his remark.

Rajnath Singh said that one should also ensure that there is no possibility of a statement to be interpreted in the wrong sense. "One should choose his words carefully before making any statement on a sensitive issue."

(With inputs from IANS)