People of India have seen Rahul Gandhi being born and growing up here: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on citizenship row

Reacting sharply to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) notice to Rahul Gandhi, asking him to reply to a British citizenship allegation , party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra rubbished the allegations of his foreign nationality. [caption id=“attachment_6528891” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (L) and Rahul Gandhi[/caption] The MHA has sent a notice to Rahul following a complaint filed by Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy who had cited a United Kingdom-based company’s documents to allege that the Congress leader is a British national. The MHA has subsequently sought “factual position in the matter” from Rahul within a fortnight. The letter, dated 29 April, read that Swamy has alleged Rahul to be one of the directors and secretary of a firm named Backops Limited which was registered in the United Kingdom in 2003. It mentions how Swamy has claimed that Rahul had declared his nationality as “British” in the company’s annual returns filed in 2005 and 2006. Speaking to reporters in Amethi, Priyanka told reporters, “The whole of India knows that Rahul Gandhi is an Indian. People have seen him being born and grow up here.” She was addressing poll meetings in support of Rahul who is seeking a re-election from the constituency.

#WATCH Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on MHA notice to Rahul Gandhi over citizenship, says," The whole of India knows that Rahul Gandhi is an Indian. People have seen him being born and grow up in India. Kya bakwaas hai yeh?" pic.twitter.com/Rgt457WMoi

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2019

The development was, however, downplayed by Union minister Rajnath Singh who said that the home ministry is duty-bound to respond to questions raised by any Member of Parliament. Earlier, BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao had raised similar objections to the Congress chief’s nationality at a press conference in New Delhi. Similarly, Independent candidate from Amethi, Dhruv Lal, had also raised objections against Rahul and protested against the latter’s nomination from the constituency. The Congress, in the meanwhile, has said that the government’s notice is a ploy to divert people's attention from the real issues plaguing the country. The party also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of resorting to a “fake narrative to divert people’s attention as he has no answers for unemployment, farmer distress and tax terrorism.” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala was quoted by ANI as saying,  “The electoral boat of Modi and BJP has completely sunk. The bankruptcy of new ideas is now making them lose the political balance by resorting to such malicious allegations against Rahul Gandhi.”