Bangalore: Former Prime Minister V P Singh today (Apr 15, 2004) stepped forward in defence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who is under attack from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over her foreign origin, and dismissed as "illogical" suggestions to bar her from occupying top constitutional offices.

"There cannot be two categories of citizens doubtful citizens and reliable citizens. Highest post you can hold in India is citizen of India. The post of Prime Minister is not higher than the citizenship of India, it's derivative of citizens of India," Singh said.

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Political Parties in India

"Either you don't give citizenship to a foreign-origin person. If a person of foreign origin's patriotism is in doubt. And the person can be a security threat. How can you grant citizenship?" he argued.

Maintaining that the "politics of birth, caste and religion" has been going in the country for many years, he asked, "How far it will take us. It (Gandhi's foreign origin) is not an issue with the people."

On the post-poll scenario at the centre, Singh expressed the view that "in a pure power game, it's very difficult to day say who will strike a deal with whom" but claimed that the BJP would not increase its individual tally in Lok Sabha, saying the ruling party would not be able to "compensate for the losses in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar".

On the Ayodhya issue, Singh said if the BJP had taken its present stand of resolving the dispute either by court verdict or by mutual settlement 15 years ago, it would have "saved the country from burning", and sought BJP's apology.

He said during the National Front Government, he had taken a similar stand from the very beginning but the BJP had insisted then that the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya is a matter of faith.

"Today, BJP should apologise for all the lives lost...they set the country on fire. If they had accepted the present position 15 years back, the country would not have been burning."

He also said, "How much they struggled and sacrificed for abolishing Article 370 common civil code. And now they are talking of consensus on it. Credibility lies there".

Responding to a question, Singh said there is a need and political space for a third front other than the Congress and BJP but admitted that there isn't a political outfit at the national level to cogently express the voice of those have been left of their share in the political system.

While many have been urging him to take up the leadership role by bringing together all such forces, he said because of his health condition he is on dialysis and chemotherapy he is not in a position to do, as he would not be able to "participate fully".