Bhopal: Taking strong exception to Congress president Sonia Gandhi reportedly questioning Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's role in freedom movement, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief M Venkaiah Naidu today (Apr 29, 2004) asked her to exercise restraint and refrain from levelling charges against a patriot.

"It is surprising for Sonia Gandhi to criticise the Prime Minister... She has no business to question Atalji's role in the freedom movement," he told reporters in Bhopal.

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Naidu said one could understand Sonia Gandhi making "wild allegations because of the defeat looming over her party. But one expects her to exercise self-restraint in her utterances."

The BJP chief said Gandhi has not explained why she did not give up her Italian citizenship for 16 long years after coming to India after her marriage and "she has the audacity to question the patriotism of a leader who has given his entire life for the service of the nation".

He said Gandhi must realise that Vajpayee was today the most revered personality in the country because of his contribution to the country and its people.