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Let the issue rest here: Cong.
By Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, FEB. 8. Even as the BJP continued its attack on the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, the Congress today preferred to take note of the clarification offered by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, that he meant no disrespect to her and said it would like the ``issue rest here''.
A day after Mr. Vajpayee's clarification, the BJP today sought an explanation for the delay in Ms. Gandhi acquiring Indian citizenship and learning the local language. The BJP spokesman, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, said that while the party would not make Ms. Gandhi's Italian origin a poll issue, the Congress owed an explanation to the country on questions raised by it.
On the other hand, the Congress spokesman, Anand Sharma, said that while taking note of Mr. Vajpayee's clarification, the party chief had ordered that the ``matter rest here''. Ms. Gandhi was particular that the election campaign remained focussed on issues which concerned the people. However, in response to the BJP's latest offensive, Mr. Sharma said ``the cheap campaign indicated clearly that they (BJP) have nothing else to say to the people''. He said it was not only against the norms of decency and the verdict of the people but also was in contempt of the apex court.
Disputing the BJP's stand that the morale of the defence forces would be affected if security-related matters were raised, the Congress said the NDA Government could not sweep such issues under the carpet.
The morale of the security forces would be affected when they got ammunition whose shelf life had expired and when they realised that someone was making money over coffins meant for martyrs.
``The Congress is second to none in realising security and defence requirements of the country. It is important for the people to know the true face of the Government,'' Mr. Sharma said.
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