New Delhi: Congress on Monday dismissed as "entirely false" BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's allegation that Rahul Gandhi has claimed himself to be a British national before the authorities there.
"From the day he was born, Rahul Gandhi has held Indian citizenship and Indian passport and has never held citizenship of any other country nor has he represented as such. The allegation by Dr Swamy is entirely false", party's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala said in a strongly-worded statement.
He also released a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of the company Gandhi was trying to set up in the UK in 2003 which clearly mentioned that the Congress Vice President as an "Indian national".
"Frustrated by their humiliating defeat in Bihar elections and internal revolt brewing amongst the senior-most leadership, BJP's dirty tricks department led by Subramanian Swamy is resorting to petty and mindless mud-slinging"
"The sole purpose appears to be to divert attention from inner revolt and paralysis of policy and governance being questioned all around including the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi", Surjewala said.
He claimed that Swamy and BJP are "repeating rehashed allegations" leveled earlier on multiple occasions including through press conferences held in Ahmedabad and Delhi in October 2012. "We reject them with the contempt they deserve and the falsehood they seek to perpetuate", he said.
Besides, Surjewala insisted that Gandhi has never held any account in Pictet Bank, Zurich, nor has he ever been questioned or detained at Logan Airport, Boston, with undeclared cash.
"This is a complete falsehood that Swamy is in the habit of falsely repeating for decades for his malicious political motives and to gain cheap publicity", he added.
Surjewala's statement came within hours of Swamy making the allegainst Gandhi at a press conference and demanding that he be stripped of Indian citizenship and Lok Sabha membership.
Swamy wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking action against Gandhi. He said he would write to the Lok Sabha Speaker asking for either constitution of a special committee or refer the matter to the Ethics Committee for stripping Gandhi of his membership of the House.
