LK Advani claims, by questioning his origin, Cong leaders are maligning lakhs of Punjabis and Bengalis who moved to India to remain Indians 

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA - JAIPUR, APRIL 3: Hitting hard at the Congress for describing him as a person of foreign origin, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani today said that by questioning the Indianness of those who chose this land over Pakistan after Partition, the party has insulted patriotism of lakhs of people who sacrificed everything to retain their status as Indians. 

‘‘Congress leaders have been making incredible claim that if Sonia Gandhi is suspect because she was born in Italy, I too should be suspect because I was born in Karachi, now in Pakistan. By questioning me, Congress leaders are maligning lakhs of Punjabis and Bengalis who moved to India to remain Indians,’’ he told mediapersons here. 

‘‘I was born in Karachi and lived the first 20 years of my life in that city which was a part of India until 1947. I came away when it became a part of Pakistan,’’ he said. Indian nationality of all those who came away from the newly-created Pakistan was recognised by the Constitution, he said. 

Stressing that Sonia’s foreign origin issue was a major political question, Advani said BJP would not shy away from raising it. ‘‘We will not be cowed down by the spurious suggestion that merely raising the issue constitutes personal vilification.’’ 

‘‘The Congress is anxious to stifle debate on the subject, it is being wilfuly vague about naming its Prime ministerial candidate because it wants to bring in a person of foreign origin without a popular sanction,’’ he said. 

Asserting that the issue is not confined to whether Sonia has the right to be the Prime Minister, he said the real question was should she be the Prime Minister? ‘‘Has she got sufficient understanding of India to aspire for the top job?’’ 

Referring to Sonia’s roadshows, he said: ‘‘Hum yatra karein to apradh. Aap roadshow karein to teekh hai (Its a crime if we embark on yatra but if they do roadshows it is fine).’’

Source: Indian Express.com