Citizenship row rekindled—BJP wants judicial probe against Sonia Gandhi
New Delhi, September 22: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today demanded a judicial inquiry into the issue of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi voting in the national general elections in 1980, even before acquiring Indian citizenship.
BJP National Media Coordinator Pradeep Bhandari, speaking at a press conference at the party headquarters here, raised questions about the voter list issue involving Sonia Gandhi. He stated that according to the Indian Constitution, a person must be an Indian citizen to vote. According to Bhandari, Sonia Gandhi was not an Indian citizen in 1980, yet the basis on which she was allowed to vote is a matter of investigation.
Pradeep Bhandari said that a petition was filed in the court in 1980 regarding the basis on which Sonia Gandhi’s name was included in the voter list and how she was allowed to vote. He questioned whether there was alleged document forgery in this process.
Bhandari stated that the Delhi court has directed the magistrate court to investigate whether any cognizable offense is made out in the case. Citing the court’s observation, he stated that the magistrate court that dismissed the case previously did not adequately consider the matter and did not address the fundamental question of whether a cognizable offense was committed.
The BJP leader stated that the court believes the matter should be investigated. He targeted the opposition on the issue of “vote theft,” saying that those who talk about “vote theft” are actually involved in the theft of democracy. He stated that the questions raised by the court’s observations in this case involving Sonia Gandhi must be investigated.
