India is my home: Sonia Gandhi's emotional response to identity politics

Yesterday, the Indian National Congress released this video, where Sonia shares an emotional story to combat allegations made about her identity.

Watch video here:

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Sonia Gandhi has been facing some added heat recently, especially with the AgustaWestland kickbacks controversy. She is perhaps the most trolled politician online, even more so after her party's defeat in 2014 parliamentary elections. Her identity has always been put to question, since she is an Italian Indian woman. Even in every day life ... I don't know how many times I have heard my inebriated friends tell me that Rahul and Priyanka are not Indian citizens and Sonia hasn't given up her Italian citizenship. As a matter of fact, there are various right wing groups whose website makes baseless claims like she is an Italian spy trading the nation's secrets with enemy nations. She says:

 I have spent 48 years of my life in India. This is my country, this is my home

Getting back at the ruling party and its right wing allies, she said that she has constantly been shamed her for her birth. She cleared the air, saying:

It is here, in my country- India. It is in its earth that the blood of my loved ones is mingled. It is here that I will breathe my last. And it is here, that my ashes will mingle with those of my loved ones. The Prime Minister can sink to whichever depths he wishes to challenge my integrity. But he cannot take the truth away from the commitment and my love for India.

My take:

I say enough with attacking your female political counterparts with such unwarranted remarks. If she is really to blame for any of the alleged scams/ controversies, let due process take its course. We need a freer, more receptive environment for women with political ambitions, if we are to see any equality of representation of voice in that space.

Enough with the identity politics.

Feature Image Credit: indianexpress.com