New Delhi: Countering Sonia Gandhi's claims, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on October 20 said that mere acceptance of Indian traditions and culture did not qualify her to become the Prime Minister and accused Congress of shying away from "real" issues.

"Merely accepting the Indian traditions and culture is not a certificate for becoming the Prime Minister of the country," BJP spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters.

He was reacting to Gandhi's statements in the last few days in which she had emotionally said neither her patriotism nor Indianness could be questioned and had asked which tradition of the country she did not follow as a daughter-in-law, mother and widow.

Naqvi said that after "hesitating and feeling ashamed" to accept Indian citizenship for 14 years, Gandhi was repeatedly proclaiming that she has accepted Indian traditions.

"She is trying to prove to the country that she has done a favour and in return the country should make her the Prime Minister," he said.

Replying to questions, Naqvi said for holding a Constitutional post it was important that a person was a natural-born citizen.

PTI