Congress condemns BJP for challenging Rahul Gandhi's citizenship

Hyderabad: All India Congress Committee (AICC) Spokesperson Dr. Sravan Dasoju has strongly condemned the BJP Government for triggering a baseless controversy over the citizenship of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Addressing a press conference at AICC Headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday, Sravan slammed the Union Home Ministry for sending a notice to Rahul Gandhi over the citizenship issue. "It was due to the negligence of Union Home Ministry that 44 CRPF jawans lost their lives in Pulwama in February this year. Today 16 security personnel were killed in a naxal attack in Gadchiroli and Union Home Ministry is looking helpless in preventing such attacks. Instead of focussing on ensuring internal security, Union Home Ministry is turning out to be a political tool into the hands of BJP leaders," he said while condemning Home Minister Rajnath Singh for the notice sent to Rahul Gandhi. He asked whether Rajnath Singh was in a state of madness when he approved the move.

"Entire world knows that Rahul Gandhi was born in India. His father (Rajiv Gandhi), grandmother (Indira Gandhi) and great grandfather (Pandit Nehru) had served as Prime Ministers of India. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have sacrificed their lives for the country. It is highly regrettable that the Home Ministry had served a notice on citizenship to Rahul Gandhi who himself had served as Member of Parliament for three terms since 2004," Sravan said adding that it was shameful for the BJP to defame a person belonging to the family of martyrs.

Sravan said that the Congress party has already released documents to counter the baseless allegations being levelled by the BJP. He said that the 'Certificate of Incorporation' of the firm in UK, Backoops has clearly mentioned Rahul Gandhi's nationality as 'Indian'. Further, he said that the Supreme Court, in 2015, has already dismissed a petition challenging Rahul Gandhi's status as an Indian. He said as part of its malicious campaign, the BJP has raised a dead issue in the midst of elections to divert people's attention. Calling Prime Minister Narender Modi and his team as 'mentally bankrupt', he said BJP has been targeting Rahul Gandhi only due to fear of a humiliating defeat.

"PM Modi has made lot of fake promises including Rs. 15 lakh in each account from the black money to be brought back from foreign countries. He also promised to reduce fuel prices, create 10 crore jobs, provide better MSP to farmers, etc., However, he failed to fulfil any single promise and instead of giving an answer to people on unkept promises, all BJP leaders are resorting on mudslinging on the Congress President who had exposed their failures," he said.

Sravan said Rahul Gandhi has exposed Rafale scam and proved that 'Chowkidar Chor Hai'. "Rahul Gandhi created awareness in the entire country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and echoed the voices and sentiments of crores of people who were hit due to demonitisation and GST. The rising popularity of Congress party, especially in the Hindi belt like Uttar Pradesh and other States which will face polling in the 5th and 6th face, has sent tremors among BJP leaders. Therefore, entire Modi Team has stooped down to the lowest level of targeting Rahul Gandhi," he said.

However, he expressed confidence that the Congress party would emerge victorious in the Hindi heartland and BJP would soon face extinction despite its leaders resorting to cheap political stunts.