The Congress on Tuesday slammed Union minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy over his “Italian blood” remarks against Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and called him a “frustrated man”.
Kumaraswamy, whose party is part of the ruling NDA, referred to claims that Gandhi was trying to stop “Vande Mataram” being played in full at the Congress headquarters at the Independence Day event, and questioned her allegiance to the nation, saying: “Italian blood flows in her veins.”
“What can you expect from Sonia Gandhi?”
“What can you expect from Sonia Gandhi now? Is Sonia Gandhi originally from our country? She came here after getting married, but the blood flowing through her veins is, by and large, Italian blood, isn’t it?” Kumaraswamy claimed.
Deep Dive
What did HD Kumaraswamy accuse Sonia Gandhi of regarding her Indian identity?
How did the Congress party respond to Kumaraswamy's comments about Sonia Gandhi?
What sparked the Vande Mataram controversy involving Sonia Gandhi?
Also read | ‘Italian blood’: Kumaraswamy’s fresh attack on Sonia Gandhi escalates Vande Mataram row
The former Karnataka chief minister added that as far as Vande Mataram is concerned, whatever gestures and incidents took place at the Congress Independence Day programme, “they (Congress leaders) are now giving various explanations, saying that Sonia Gandhi made those gestures merely to indicate that a chair should be placed there... But the people will see the truth and judge for themselves. It is not so easy anymore to tell lies and get away with them.”
{{/usCountry}}The former Karnataka chief minister added that as far as Vande Mataram is concerned, whatever gestures and incidents took place at the Congress Independence Day programme, “they (Congress leaders) are now giving various explanations, saying that Sonia Gandhi made those gestures merely to indicate that a chair should be placed there... But the people will see the truth and judge for themselves. It is not so easy anymore to tell lies and get away with them.”
{{/usCountry}}Speaking to reporters, the JD(S) second-in-command said Sonia Gandhi is not from India.
“She’d married a person in India, Indian citizen. She’s basically from Italy. Her birthplace is Italy. That’s why she always- whatever- Indian sentiment is there, she is opposing,” he said.
Addressing those Congress leaders who tried to defend Gandhi on the issue, he wondered why they were resorting to such petty politics when already there is a certain public perception about them in this country.
“Why do you want to further damage your own future on a larger scale? What is the need for it?” the JD(U) leader said.
The Congress slammed the Union minister of heavy industries, whom they termed a “frustrated man”.
Karnataka minister and Congress leader Rizwan Arshad said: “What can we expect from a frustrated man? He talks about Sonia Gandhi that way. He should know that she is more Indian than many Indians. Her husband sacrificed his life for the nation’s security. Her mother-in-law, Indira Gandhi ji, sacrificed her life for the unity of this nation.”
He underlined that despite losing her husband, Gandhi remains an Indian, fighting for an inclusive India, a just India and a democratic India. He said Kumaraswamy was talking about nationality, though he had joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi and helping him run a “dictator-type style of government.”
(With PTI inputs)