'My mother is more Indian than many others': Rahul responds to Modi's jibe

BENGALURU: Congress president Rahul Gandhi has sharply reacted to the personal attacks on his Italian ancestry saying his mother Sonia Gandhi is more Indian than many others and that she has sacrificed a lot for the country.

The counter came on the last day of a bitter campaign during which BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioned the legacy of his family, called him a "namdaar" and put up his mother's maiden name in Twitter posts to highlight her Italian origin.

"My mother is more Indian than many other Indians I have seen. She has sacrificed for this country. She has suffered for this country. If Mr Modi still wants to go ahead, then good day to him." Gandhi said at a press conference in Bengaluru on Thursday.


The Congress president said that though his mother was born in Italy, she spent most of her life in India. On being asked why he never hit back in kind to the barbs, he narrated the parable in which Lord Buddha ignored an angry man who ranted against him.

" Mr Modi is angry with everyone. I am a lightning rod for his anger. Perhaps he sees a threat in me," he quipped .

Attack on PM ambition to 'distract' attention: Rahul

Reacting to Modi's attack on him for declaring his prime ministerial ambition, he said: "This election is not about Rahul...I have now learnt to deal with the prime minister. When he can't respond, he distracts."

To a question on BJP calling him a 'Election Hindu' for his temple runs in election season he replied that it showed how that party viewed a religion.

Criticising the prime minister for his recent "no-agenda" visit to China , he said he had expected Modi to "stand up" and ask questions when Chinese personnel were occupying Dokalam and Beijing was making its presence felt in the countries surrounding India.

The Congress president said India's foreign policy has been "decimated" by the present government and the PM Modi had reduced it to a "one-man show" .

Gandhi projected the Karnataka election as a fight against the Sangh, saying, "The election is between the spirit of Karnataka and the RSS. RSS is trying to take over the state. It is attacking your language, your food, your way of life."