Priyanka hits out at Modi over nationalism

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday joined the raging debate on prime minister Narendra Modi's caste and said that her party never indulged in the ''politics of caste''.

Speaking to reporters in Amethi, her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha constituency, Priyanka also questioned the ''nationalism'' being ''preached'' by Modi saying that ''suppressing people's voice'' was not nationalism.

''I have no knowledge about PM's caste.....Congress has never indulged in caste politics...we have been raising issues connected with the people,'' she said.

Modi had while addressing an election rally at Hardoi in the state on Saturday, said that he hailed from a ''most backward caste'' and that he was proud of the same.

BSP supremo Mayawati retorted by claiming that Modi hailed from an ''upper caste'' and that he had got a ''fake backward caste'' certificate issued when he was the chief minister of Gujarat.

Priyanka also questioned Modi's nationalism and said that nationalism symbolised patriotism and love for the country. ''Country means its people and their love....if you only love yourself then it is not nationalism,'' she said adding that the BJP candidates were seeking votes in the name of Modi and that it could not be nationalism.

The Congress' star campaigner also accused BJP leaders of distributing money, sarees and shoes in Amethi to ''influence'' voters.