New Delhi: Breaking his silence over the allegation that he holds a British citizenship, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order an investigation against him and throw in jail if found guilty of any wrongdoing.
“Modiji is the PM, he has all agencies at his disposal. They accuse me of so many things, why not order an investigation? Rahul Gandhi said while addressing Youth Congress workers in Delhi.
“They should throw me in the jail if they find anything against me. I am not scared, I'll keep fighting for the weak,” he added.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has accused Rahul Gandhi of declaring himself to be a British national before the company law authorities there for setting up a company.
Swamy had demanded that Gandhi be stripped of Indian citizenship and Lok Sabha membership. He had written to Modi and later to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.
Rejecting the allegations, the Congress Vice President today said," I have not even an iota of fear. I will not withdraw (from attacking Modi). I will continue to fight for the poor, the farmers."
Addressing the Youth Congress gathering on the occasion of the 98th birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi, he also accused the RSS and the BJP of throwing mud on his family members ever since he was a child, asserting that he is "not going to be scared" by such things and that he will continue to fight against BJP.
"Ever since I was a child, I have been watching people from RSS and BJP throwing mud at my grand mother, my father and even my mother. I want to say one thing. Modi ji is now the Prime Minister of India. Different kinds of allegations are levelled against me. There is not even an iota of truth in them.
"Modi ji, it is your government. You have the agencies. Get a probe done against me and send me behind bars if you find something. Stop all this--the mud that you throw at me and my family through your cronies. You are not in opposition, you are in government now," Gandhi said amidst cheers from the youth Congress activists adding he did not have an "iota of fear" on the issue.
He did not direct refer to Swamy but was apparently referring to his allegations on the basis of documents purportedly showing that Gandhi had claimed himself to be a British national before the company law authorities in the UK for setting up a company.
Answering to the challenge of Rahul Gandhi BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said that investigations over his citizenship row are already ongoing.
“And as far as investigations are concerned, Rahulji doesnt need to challenge us. Investigations are already underway,” said Hussain.
(With inputs from PTI)
