New Delhi: A day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi attacked the Vajpayee government, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) on August 10 hit back by raking up her foreign origin issue.

"It is unfortunate that the Congress has passed a resolution to make a foreigner its leader on August 9, a day when the party had launched the Quit India Movement against foreign rule," BJP leader V K Malhotra said addressing the party's "Parivartan Rally" in New Delhi.

Questioning Gandhi's capabilities, he alleged that she did not know how to speak Hindi or English properly and had "never addressed" a press conference.

On Gandhi's reference to Lord Rama while addressing her party's "August Kranti Rally" in New Delhi on August 9, Malhotra said if she was so devoted to him she should stop opposing construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya.

"We are ready to bring a legislation for construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya in the current session of Parliament if Congress assures support to it," the BJP spokesman said, asking Gandhi to clarify stand on the matter.

Gandhi, while levelling a series of allegations against the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government on August 9, took a dig at BJP for raising the name of Lord Ram whenever elections are round the corner charging that what the saffron party was doing was nothing but hoodwinking the Lord Himself.

"Hey Ram! Save the country from such devotees who are bent upon destroying the 'Maryada' of the Lord," the Congress leader had said.

PTI