Now Reading: HD Kumaraswamy questions Sonia Gandhi’s Indianness, calls her Italian
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HD Kumaraswamy questions Sonia Gandhi’s Indianness, calls her Italian
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has sparked a controversy by questioning whether Congress leader Sonia Gandhi is Indian, saying she migrated after marriage and "Italian blood" flows in her veins. The remark came while he was speaking in Hassan amid a row over the singing of Vande Mataram.
The comment has drawn sharp reactions, with critics pointing out that Sonia Gandhi has lived in India for over five decades, married former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, raised two children who are now MPs, and led the Congress party for nearly two decades. The minister's statement has also been contrasted with the Ministry of External Affairs' recent defence of Italy when Rahul Gandhi made a remark about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The controversy raises questions about the government's consistency on issues of nationality and respect for foreign ties. No official response has been issued by the MEA on Kumaraswamy's remarks so far.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The core legal fact is that Indian citizenship is governed by the Citizenship Act, 1955, which does not require a person to be born in India or have Indian parentage. Sonia Gandhi acquired Indian citizenship after her marriage to Rajiv Gandhi in 1983, and has been an MP since 1999. The Constitution does not define citizenship by blood or ancestry. The next flashpoint could be in Parliament when the opposition demands a response from the government on whether a Union minister's personal view reflects official policy. The precedent closest to this is the 2015 row over then-minister Kiren Rijiju's remark that Sonia Gandhi should "go back" to Italy, which forced a government clarification.
Source: timesnownews.com
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