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Home > City Buzz > Happenings http://planetguru.com/Articles/ArticleDetail.aspx?ChannelId=Happenings&ArticleId=8467 Swamy indulges in Sonia Gandhi bashing Print this page Email this page   Former Indian cabinet minister Dr. Subramaniam Swamy made a scathing attack on India’s Congress party president Sonia before a crowd of about 70 people at Swagat Restaurant in Milpitas on Nov. 8. The speech was part of an 11-city tour organized and hosted by Overseas friends of BJP (OFBJP ) and Friends of India Society International (FISI). Many attendees were curious to hear from Swamy, especially given his colorful past, where his political affiliations have ranged from a prominent position in the Janta Party in the 1980’s to a series of “coalition partnerships”. Swamy said: “The reason for my taking the case to the NRI community is because the opinion of the NRIs has an impact on India. After 25 years, I am ready to fight ‘another’ Mrs. Gandhi.” Chandru Bhambhra of OFBJP said, “We are sponsoring Mr. Swamy’s talk, although he is not from our party (but) because it serves the purpose of telling the truth.” Swamy spoke about Sonia Maino-Gandhi and her Italian ancestry. He also revealed that he has been systematically researching the antecedents on the Maino family, and had also filed several writs in the Indian high courts detailing these revelations. Swamy alleges that Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka (Bianca) and Rahul (Raul) were still Italian citizens and had not really relinquished their Italian citizenship. He contended that India has no dual-citizenship treaty with Italy, and hence one cannot travel on Italian passport and claim to have Indian citizenship as well. Swamy said that Sonia Gandhi was denied formal admission to the electoral rolls by Delhi Court in 1983 based on the question of nationality. However, based on an sworn affidavit, she was reinstated in 1984. Swamy cited two significant falsehoods, including Sonia Gandhi’s claim of a degree in English Literature from the Cambridge University. He also claimed a letter from the Dean of Cambridge University confirming that there never was any degree awarded to a Ms Sonia Maino Gandhi. Swamy said that the crime is punishable by at least three years in jail. Swamy said the “mistake” was repeated in a 2004 affidavit to the Supreme Court of India by Sonia Gandhi during 2004 election. Swamy also claimed that Sonia Gandhi’s family was on the payroll of KGB and Soviet Union, and had received several trade-related kickbacks. In support of his claim, he cited the work of Eugenia Alhats, a journalist of Moscow News, published in Izvestia on 27 June 1992, detailing a letter written by a former KGB chief, Viktor Chebrikov, to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. This was supposedly revealed in the “documents revealed after the collapse of the Soviet Union,” photocopies of which are available at the Harvard University Library. Swamy claimed that he had spoken with Eugenia, currently on full research-scholarship at Harvard University, who verified the authenticity of the letters. Swamy alleged that the Maino family was involved in smuggling of ancient Indian heritage artifacts out of the country traced to shop in Italy run by her sister as well as to Sotheby’s and other auction houses. Swamy mentioned that he was headed to Europe next to dig up more facts on the antecedents of Sonia Gandhi, including questions such as how she supported herself when she was in England. In the hour-long speech and question-answer session, Swamy stated that he preferred to be the leader of a small political party. This way he would ensure a minsterial post for himself if his party joins a coalition government. Chandru Bhambhra closed with a vote of Thanks and suggested a greater spread of this knowledge is needed to reveal the truth about Sonia Gandhi and other “anti-national” elements. For more information on Overseas Friends of BJP and Friends of India Society www.ofbjp.org Sam Rao