On PM's Mangalsutra Remark, Priyanka Gandhi Points To Mother, Grandmother

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today countered Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments about the Congress robbing people of their wealth to give to "infiltrators", questioning if such a thing has ever happened in the 50-year rule of the party. As for mangalsutras, her mother's was sacrificed for the country and her grandmother's gold was donated during the war, she pointed out.

Speaking in Bengaluru today, Ms Gandhi Vadra questioned her audience what they heard these days when they turn on the television. Not plans for their welfare or development, but "crazy talk" and demands.

"He says the Congress wants to take away your gold, your mangalsutra. The country has been independent for 70 years. The Congress ruled for 55 years. Has anyone robbed you of your gold or your mangalsutra? When the war was on, Indira Gandhi gave her gold to the country. My mother's mangalsutra was sacrificed for this country," she said.

"The Prime Minister says they will cross 400 seats and change the constitution... sometimes he says he is being abused, or talks about religion. You are among the most qualified cities in the world... do you deserve this?" she said.

PM Modi's comment that the Congress is planning to redistribute the country's wealth in favour of "infiltrators" generated a huge political row since the weekend, which has reached the Election Commission.

At a rally in Rajasthan, PM Modi had said the Congress manifesto promises that if they come to power, "everyone's property will be surveyed, it will calculate gold belonging to mothers and sisters and then redistribute it". They "won't even spare your mangalsutra," he had added.

Today, he doubled down on the comments, saying he had "revealed some truths" which has "scared" the Congress. He also said that listening to Hanuman Chalisa has "become a crime under the Congress", recounting an incident about a man being beaten up badly in Karnataka, a Congress-ruled state.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned if the Prime Minister understood the importance of mangalsutra.

"If Modi ji had understood the importance of 'Mangalsutra', he would not have said such things. When demonetisation happened, he took away the savings of women. During the farmers' protest, 600 farmers lost their lives, Did Modi-ji think about the 'Mangalsutra' of those widows?" she said.