My mother more Indian than many people, says Rahul Gandhi on last day of Karnataka elections campaign

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Updated: May 10, 2018 17:55 IST

Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks about UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s Italian origin, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday that she was “more Indian than many Indian people I have met”.

“My mother is Italian. My mother has also lived larger part of her life in India. She is more Indian than many, many people I see. My mother has sacrificed for this country, my mother has suffered for this country. And it shows the quality of the prime minister when he makes such comments,” the Congress president said while addressing a press conference in Bengaluru.

The BJP has often targeted Sonia Gandhi for her Italian roots in the run up to the state polls.

Ahead of the UPA chairperson’s visit to the poll-bound state, the BJP raked up the issue of her Italian origin by referring to her maiden name Antonio Maino.

“Today, Ms. Antonio Maino is here in K’taka to save her last citadel from falling! Madam Maino, K’taka needs no lessons from the person who was solely responsible for wasting India’s 10 precious years,” the BJP tweeted.

In another jibe, Modi, at an election rally on May 1, dared Rahul Gandhi to talk for 15 minutes about the achievements of the Karnataka government in any language, including his “mother’s mother tongue”.

On the last day of campaigning for Karnataka elections, Rahul Gandhi also said he is confident of Congress’ victory.

“We’ve developed Karnataka extensively over the past five years, we’ll continue along that path of development more aggressively,” he said.

Elections in Karnataka will be held on May 12 and counting of votes will take place on May 15.

The Congress president, who wrapped up his campaign tour of Karnataka, said the prime minister was “silent” on incidents of killings and attacks on Dalits.

When asked to comment on the prime minister’s claim that the Congress party raised the issue of Dalits only for the sake of raising it, he said,”We will take up their issues. It is our job.”

“When Rohit Vemula (a Hyderabad student who committed suicide over alleged discrimination) dies, he does not utter a word. When Dalits are beaten up in Una, he keeps quiet,” he said.

When asked about his visits to places of worship, particularly temples, and the BJP’s description of him as an “election Hindu”, Rahul Gandhi said, “BJP gets uncomfortable when I go to a temple.”

Rahul Gandhi said he visited not just temples but also other places of worship.

“I don’t think BJP understands the term Hindu,” the Congress leader said, adding that calling him an “election Hindu” showed their state of mind.

He said the Modi government had “decimated” the country’s foreign policy and that a “disaster” was in the making on that front.

(With PTI inputs)