The Congress today maintained a studied silence on the attack by Shiv Sena on party president Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary Rahul Gandhi saying it does not want to dignify the "undignified" remarks by a response.
"We would not like to dignify these undignified remarks with a response," party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said on Shiv Sena raking up the foreign origin issue of Gandhi.
Stepping up its attack on Rahul Gandhi for the "Mumbai for all Indians" remark and raking up Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin, party supremo Bal Thackeray said in an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamna, "Mumbai may belong to all Indians but how can it belong to an Italian mummy."
Natarajan said there was a "pernicious attempt" by the Shiv Sena to polarise the country on regional identities. "We strongly condemn any attempt to polarise our nation on chauvinistic lines and regional identity and any attempts to create discord and disaffection among citizens of different states," she said.
Asked whether the party favoured a ban on "Saamna" and the Shiv Sena, she said this was a question of law. "We will call upon the people of the country to reject the ideology of hate and divisiveness spread by the Shiv Sena," she said.
Congress stood for unity and integrity of the country and was committed to the idea of India, Natarajan said. The party would "strain every nerve" to ensure that the country's unity and integrity is not compromised with and the Constitution is upheld in letter and spirit, she said. She said every citizen of India had the right to move freely and to live and work in every part of the country.
To a query whether the Congress-led government in Maharashtra had given a long rope to the Shiv Sena and desisted from strong action so far, she said, "we have zero tolerance for divisiveness and hate" adding, whatever constitutional steps are required, will be taken.
"Maharashtra government is a Congress government. We are confident that all steps will be taken. The government will and should take whatever action prescribed by law " Natarajan said.
On the Sena attacking Rahul Gandhi, the spokesperson said that the young leader was travelling all over the country to democratise the Youth Congress and the NSUI and his attempts have resulted in success.
Asked about the Sena tearing posters of Shahrukh Khan's film 'My Name is Khan', Natarajan said this was part of the culture of violence and hatred perpetrated by that party.
Condemning the act, the Congress leader called upon the authorities in Maharashtra to take legal action to bring those involved to justice.
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