Raipur: The war over Congress president Sonia Gandhi's origin hotted up on July 20 with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declaring that her foreign origin and leadership qualities vis-a-vis Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would be an issue in Lok Sabha polls even as it unveiled a "Mission 2004 Action Plan" to reach out minorities.

Coming down heavily on Congress spokesman S Jaipal Reddy's attack on the Prime Minister's age and health, BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan said it was not only highly objectionable but also reflected the uncivilised and perverse culture of Congress.

"Indian culture respects its leaders because of their age, wisdom, experience and contribution to the nation."

"It seems that Congress has not only imported an inexperienced leader of foreign origin, who has no contribution to the nation worth mentioning, but also discarded the culture of India," Mahajan said in a statement.

Acknowledging that the next Lok Sabha poll will be a face-off between Vajpayee and Gandhi, he said, "Naturally, the qualities of the leaders, their experience and the origin will be debated. But it should be debated at a certain level and the people will decide."

PTI