DATE=5/17/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249449
TITLE=INDIA / CONGRESS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA'S OPPOSITION CONGRESS PARTY IS GRAPPLING WITH A
REBELLION AGAINST THE LEADERSHIP OF ITALIAN-BORN SONIA GANDHI.
ANJANA PASRICHA REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI, THREE SENIOR CONGRESS
LEADERS ARE QUESTIONING THE PARTY'S DECISION TO PROJECT MRS.
GANDHI AS THE CANDIDATE FOR PRIME MINISTER IN THE SEPTEMBER
GENERAL ELECTIONS.
TEXT: ////BEGIN WITH NATURAL SOUND OF HINDI SLOGANS -- SONIA
GANDHI ZINDABAD//// OUTSIDE THE CONGRESS PARTY OFFICE IN NEW
DELHI, SUPPORTERS ARE RAISING SLOGANS ASSERTING THEIR LOYALTY TO
PARTY PRESIDENT, SONIA GANDHI.
BUT WITHIN ITS TOP RANKS, THE CONGRESS PARTY IS FACING SERIOUS
DISSENT. THREE SENIOR LEADERS -- SHARAD PAWAR, PURNO SANGMA, AND
TARIQ ANWAR -- HAVE SAID ONLY NATURAL-BORN INDIANS SHOULD HOLD
THE COUNTRY'S HIGHEST OFFICES, INCLUDING THAT OF PRIME MINISTER.
IN A LETTER THE DISSENTING LEADERS SAY, "IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THAT
A COUNTRY OF 980 MILLION PEOPLE WITH A WEALTH OF EDUCATION,
COMPETENCE AND ABILITY, CAN HAVE ANYONE OTHER THAN AN INDIAN,
BORN OF INDIAN-ORIGIN TO HEAD ITS GOVERNMENT."
THE THREE LEADERS BELONG TO THE 17-MEMBER CONGRESS WORKING
COMMITTEE -- THE PARTY'S TOP POLICY-MAKING BODY.
MRS. GANDHI TOOK OVER AS CONGRESS PARTY PRESIDENT LAST YEAR. SHE
DID NOT CONTEST THE 1998 ELECTIONS.
BUT THE PARTY, WHOSE POLITICAL FORTUNES HAVE TUMBLED IN RECENT
YEARS, IS RELYING HEAVILY ON THE CHARISMA OF THE GANDHI NAME TO
GIVE IT A WINNING EDGE IN THE COMING ELECTIONS -- AND IS
PROJECTING HER AS PRIME MINISTER.
MRS GANDHI SAYS SHE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THE ATTACKS ON
HER. CONGRESS PARTY SPOKESMAN, AJIT JOGI, ALSO SAYS MRS. GANDHI'S
ITALIAN-BIRTH IS NOT AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR EITHER THE PARTY, OR
THE NATION.
///INSERT JOGI ACT///
THIS IS A NON-ISSUE. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE. IT IS ONLY AN ATTEMPT
BY THE B-J-P (BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY) AND THOSE WHO SUBSCRIBE TO
THAT PHILOSOPHY TO DIVERT THE ATTENTION OF THE NATION FROM THE
REAL AND MAIN ISSUES.
///END JOGI ACT///
BUT THE DISSENTING CONGRESS LEADERS SAY HER ITALIAN BIRTH COULD
HURT, RATHER THAN HELP THE PARTY IN THE ELECTIONS.
MRS. GANDHI'S FOREIGN BIRTH TURNED INTO A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE
AFTER SHE RAISED HER POLITICAL PROFILE IN RECENT MONTHS.
THE RULING HINDU NATIONALIST PARTY SAYS IT WILL TURN IT INTO A
MAJOR ELECTION ISSUE -- AND DEMAND THE COUNTRY'S CONSTITUTION BE
AMENDED TO ALLOW ONLY NATURAL-BORN INDIANS TO HOLD THE NATION'S
TOP JOB.
NOW, WITH SENIOR CONGRESS LEADERS RAISING THE SAME DEMAND, THE
CONGRESS PARTY FACES STRONG CRITICISM OF MRS. GANDHI'S FOREIGN
BIRTH FROM BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THEIR PARTY.
THE 52-YEAR OLD MRS. GANDHI HAS LIVED IN INDIA SINCE MARRYING
FORMER PRIME MINISTER RAJIV GANDHI IN 1968. SHE BECAME AN INDIAN
CITIZEN 14 YEARS LATER.(SIGNED)
NEB/AP/PLM
17-May-99 6:23 AM EDT (1023 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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