LDF MLA's 'DNA Remark' on Rahul Gandhi sparks political row before LS polls

Palakkad (Kerala): Ruling LDF MLA P V Anwar on Tuesday sparked a row by saying that the DNA of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should be examined.

Addressing an election meeting in this district, the businessman-turned-MLA said the Congress leader had become a fourth-grade citizen who did not deserve to be called by the surname of Gandhi.

Irked over Gandhi's recent remarks against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Anwar asked how a person hailing from the Nehru family could make such statements.

"My opinion is that Rahul Gandhi's DNA should be examined. There is no dispute in it," Anwar said at a meeting organized by the LDF local committee at Edathanattukara here.

Gandhi, during his recent election campaigns in the state, had sought to know why Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was exempted from being interrogated and arrested by central agencies, though several allegations had cropped up against the Left veteran.

The Left leaders have strongly criticized the Congress leader for his statements against Vijayan and opined that he should criticize Modi and the RSS instead of Vijayan.

When seeking his reaction to Anwar's objectionable remarks against Gandhi, Vijayan on Tuesday justified the LDF MLA and said the Congress leader was not a person beyond criticism.

"Rahul Gandhi will get a reply for what he said. He is not a person who stands beyond criticism," Vijayan told reporters in Kannur.

Strongly reacting to the alleged derogatory remarks against Gandhi, Congress said the party has filed a complaint with the Election Commission seeking action against Anwar.

Demanding the Commission's urgent intervention into the matter, KPCC acting president M M Hassan urged police to register a case against the MLA for insulting Rahul Gandhi and the Nehru family.

He also alleged that it was the CM who was using Anwar to make derogatory remarks against Gandhi.

Senior Congress leader and AICC Secretary K C Venugopal also came out against the insulting remarks against Gandhi and alleged that CPI (M) had given a "quotation" to the Nilambur MLA to humiliate the Nehru family.