Royalty? My family ended princely privileges: Priyanka

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi has slammed the BJP for equating the Gandhi family with royalty and pointed out that it was her grandmother Indira Gandhi who abolished the privileges of princely families.

Interacting with the students of Sunbeam Public School here on Friday, Gandhi also said that her "emotional dream" was to see an India where no one was questioned over his religion.

Referring to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's decision in 1972 to do away with the privileges given to Maharajas after India's independence, Gandhi sought to underline that this would not have happened if the Gandhi family viewed itself as royalty.

A Congress leader who attended the interactive session in a large hall told IANS on Saturday that a girl student questioned Gandhi's dreams about a future India.

"Priyanka Gandhi said she has an emotional dream for India. She wants to see an India where no one's religion, be it Hinduism, Christianity, Islam or any other, is not questioned."

The Congress leader said she also wants to see an India where "women are equal to men and are not treated the way they are treated today".

On a three-day trip, Priyanka Gandhi visited his brother and Congress President Rahul Gandhi's constituency Amethi and her mother and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi's constituency of Rae Bareli before reaching Ayodhya.

At Ayodhya, she visited a mazaar and prayed at the Hanumangarhi temple.

The Congress leader reacted sharply to a question on Romeo squads in Uttar Pradesh which critics say have become a tool to harass young couples.

She also attacked BJP for its critical views on NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) promised by Rahul Gandhi.

BJP leaders have said that Rahul Gandhi's promise cannot be implemented due to fund crunch. Priyanka Gandhi said in response: "The BJP should answer where the government got the money to waive off debts of the business community."

(Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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