Rae Bareli (Uttar Pradesh), Mar 23 : Priyanka Gandhi on Monday slammed her estranged cousin and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi for his communal speech, saying his remarks were against the traditions and principles of the Gandhi family.

“Varun’s comments are against the traditions and principles of the Gandhi family, and he has gone against what the Gandhis have lived and died for. It made me very sad to see him saying those things,” Priyanka told reporters here.

Priyanka is on a two-day tour of the district to campaign for her mother Sonia Gandhi and her brother Rahul Gandhi, both key leaders of the Congress party.

She advised Varun to read the Bhagvad Gita properly.

Priyanka said she was in Rae Bareli only to campaign for her mother and brother and have no plans to contest elections.

On March 17, the Election Commission filed a criminal case under a non-bailable law against Varun Gandhi for his inflammatory speech against Muslims in Pilibhit.

On March 6, Gandhi had said, “All Hindus should remain on one side and send the rest to Pakistan.”

“They have names such as Karimullah, Mazurullah. If you see them in the night, you would get scared,” he added. (ANI)