Hardeep Singh Puri Asks If It's Italian Family System that Promotes Rahul Over Priyanka in Congress

New Delhi: In a likely reference to former Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi and her Italian origin, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri sharpened his attack on the Congress asking if it was the Italian family value system that promoted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi. Speaking with ANI, the senior BJP leader threw light on the 'parivarvaad' in the Congress.

Slamming the culture, he asked, "What is it about the system? Is it the Italian family value, which promotes the male child over the female child? Because Priyanka is not new to politics...I think there are some internal contradictions at play here. I would have liked to see her enter into the electoral fray. I see reports that wherever she campaigns, she gets more traction than other members of her party including in the family." 

Amit Shah Questions ‘Italian Culture’

Previously, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had questioned the 'Italian culture' in the Congress party when Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge had made the controversial remark 'Kashmir se kya vaasta hai.' Shah too had ‘blamed’ the Congress culture by saying, “The Congress doesn’t know that many brave sons of Rajasthan have sacrificed their lives for the peace and security in Kashmir. But it is not merely the fault of the Congress leaders. It is mostly the Italian culture of the Congress party that is to be blamed for not understanding the very idea of India. Such statements hurt every patriotic citizen who cares for the unity and integrity of the nation. People will certainly answer Congress.”

Rahul on 'Safeguarding Constitution, Reservations'

Earlier in the day, mounting his attack on the BJP, Gandhi, at an election rally in Telangana on Monday, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was against reservations and wanted to take away quotas from the people.

Gandhi claimed that the ongoing general elections are taking place between two ideologies, in which Congress is trying to safeguard the Constitution, while the BJP-RSS combined wants to end it and people's rights.

"Narendra Modi ji is against reservation. He wants to take away reservations from you. The biggest issue before the country is increasing reservation from 50 per cent," he added.

The Congress has in its manifesto promised that if the party forms the government at the Centre, it will breach the 50 per cent limit and increase the quotas beyond 50 per cent, he said.

BJP leaders also want reservations to end, he claimed. Alleging that Modi privatised the public sector, Gandhi said the contract system implemented by the BJP-led government amounts to removing reservations.

"We will remove contract systems in government offices and the public sector. Permanent jobs would be available, not temporary jobs," he said.

"Narendra Modi has never said in his speeches till today that he will remove the 50 per cent barrier of reservations," Gandhi said.

He claimed that BJP leaders have told the countrymen that if their party wins elections, they will change and finish the Constitution. "If the Constitution is finished, the reservation will end," he said. (with PTI inputs)