Priyanka Vadra during her election campaign for her brother and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in Amethi on Thursday.
today reacted sharply to reports that in an interview,
Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, said that he thinks of her "like a daughter." (
Watch)
"I am Rajiv Gandhi's daughter," Priyanka, 42, said firmly in Uttar Pradesh this morning. "He died for this country. He cannot be compared in my heart and mind to anyone," she said.
In footage released by Mr Modi's office, however, the 64-year-old states that "Any daughter, for her brother's victory, for her mother's victory, will do anything. A daughter is a daughter, if not for her mother or brother, who will she do it for? She can say 10 more things but a daughter is a daughter, I won't be upset about it."
The controversy erupted after media reports that Mr Modi's"daughter" remarks, made in an interview to national broadcaster Doordarshan had been dropped by the channel. Doordarshan officials did not deny that the 35-minute version that aired on Sunday had been trimmed, but they said there was no political motive. Senior executive SM Khan stressed, "There was no deliberate omission or editing. In fact, all points made by Mr Modi were highlighted
Priyanka's mother, Sonia, is Congress President and her older brother,
Rahul, is leading the party campaign for the national election. Their father, prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, was assassinated in 1991. Priyanka is not running for parliament.
In recent weeks, she has forged a strong attack on Mr Modi, 63, after he alleged at election rallies that her husband, Robert Vadra, scored sweetheart land deals in states like Haryana, where the Congress is in power. (
Also read: BJP's sharpest attack yet on Robert Vadra)
Amid swirling predictions of the BJP's strongest-ever performance under Mr Modi and a Congress wipe-out, Priyanka has been challenging his credentials, accusing him of double-speak on women's safety and of promoting crony capitalism in Gujarat, where he is serving his fourth term as chief minister.