Amethi: Brushing aside attacks on his family, particularly his mother Sonia Gandhi on her foreign origin, Rahul Gandhi today (Mar 29, 2004) said "our hearts are Indians" and these criticisms did not bother him.

"Our hearts are Indians. They beat for India. You can abuse us, you can kill us, but it will still beat for India," an emotional and nostalgic Rahul, who is contesting the coming Lok Sabha elections from Amethi constituency, told reporters in an informal interaction as he kicked off his election campaign.

"I have learnt to be an Indian from my mother" and "my father is my hero," said the 34-year old Rahul.

Asserting that the criticism did not bother him a bit as he was clear about his goal and priorities and was on the right path, he said, "Your enemies will always have something to say for you. I actually expect my enemies to say something."

Asked whether he would launch a counter-attack, Rahul said, "We don't need to attack viciously. These are peripheral things and don't matter. If your aim is right you are going to go on, come what may," and added, "We have been taught in our family to do what we feel is right."

To a question why he joined politics, he said, "Politics has hurt my family. My father and grandmother were killed. But I know that they were proud to have been killed for the country."

Refering to the Bofors kickback controversy, Rahul said, "My father (Rajiv Gandhi) was under attack for 17 years. I sometimes asked him why he did not counter-attack and he replied that we should be doing what we think is right and not bother about these things."

Asked if he felt under pressure as he was being projected as the saviour of Congress, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, he said, "The pressure comes only if your basics are wrong," but admitted that it was a big task.

To another question he said he was never a shy person. "This is only a media perception."

About his priorities, Rahul said first and foremost it was to win the elections from Amethi.

"I shall be concentrating on Amethi" and would campaign for the party wherever asked to, he said.

He expressed confidence that Congress would form the next Government at the Centre, but hastened to add, "Elections come and go... what is more important is that you have a goal and you stick to it."

Rahul, who visited the constituency for the first time after being nominated as Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha elections, had his lunch sitting in the fields, and said, "I felt emotional while interacting with the people of Amethi. I remembered my father. I had come here with him in 1982."

He said he was confident that the people would shower their love and affection on him and that he would win.