The Hindu : Sonia's foreign origin a political issue: Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 03, 2004

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Sonia's foreign origin a political issue: Advani

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, APRIL 2. The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, today raised the issue of foreign origin of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, a day after the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, demanded a public debate.

Addressing a public meeting at Bhilwara in Rajasthan as part of his "Bharat Udat Yatra," Mr. Advani said: "Her foreign origin is a political issue. Talking about it is not a personal attack on anyone... It is a political issue on which the Congress had split. There was a revolt within the Congress over the issue which resulted in Sharad Pawar and P.A. Sangma forming their own party."

The Union Minister for Health and Parliamentary Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, her Cabinet colleagues and party leaders were present.

Mr. Advani said that in many countries, including the U.S, there were legal provisions disallowing a person of foreign origin to hold posts of President and Prime Minister.

Mr. Advani, who also addressed public meetings in Ajmer and Kishengarh, performed ziyarat at the dargah of the Sufi saint, Khwaja Moinuddhin Chisti, in Ajmer.

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