Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday his mother Sonia Gandhi, who is of Italian origin, is more Indian than many Indian people he has met.

“My mother is Italian, My mother has lived larger part of her life in India, My mother is more Indian than many Indian people I have met. My mother sacrificed for this country. If the PM likes to abuse her, he may do so if it pleases him,” said Rahul Gandhi when asked about Modi attacking Sonia Gandhi over her Italian origin during a press conference.

Launching a scathing attack on PM Modi, Gandhi said PM Modi’s attack on him declaring his prime ministerial ambitions was aimed at distracting attention.

“This election is not about Rahul,” the Congress president said.

“I have now learnt to deal with the prime minister. When he can’t respond, he distracts,” Gandhi told reporters here after winding up his extensive tour of the poll-bound Karnataka.

Gandhi was responding to Modi’s attack on him after he declared his prime ministerial ambition.

At his election rallies, Modi had wondered whether the country will ever accept such an “immature and naamdar (dynastic)” leader for the post.

The Congress chief also said PM Modi saw a ‘threat’ in him.

“Narendra Modi has got anger inside of him. He is angry with everybody, not only me. I am a lightning rod for anger, I attract anger. But that is his problem. It is not my problem. I attract anger from PM Modi because he views me as a threat,” Gandhi said.

Expressing confidence that the Congress would win the May 12 assembly polls in Karnataka, he said the opposition had restricted itself to making personal attacks during the campaign.

The BJP, he said, feels “uncomfortable” when he visits a temple.

“Throughout last 15 years, I’ve been visiting temples, mosques, gurudwaras, and every religious institution I come across. BJP doesn’t like this. I don’t think they understand the meaning of the term Hindu. It’s a perspective. It’s something which lives with you throughout,” said the Congress leader.

Attacking RSS, Rahul Gandhi said the RSS and the BJP wanted to snatch away Karnataka’s spirit, identity and Basavanna’s principles to impose upon RSS’ regressive ideology and added that the Congress would never allow this to happen.

(With agency inputs)