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Sonia's son-in-law warns public against dealing with kin

Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, has created a flutter of sorts by distancing himself from his father and brother.

In a public notice in newspapers a few days ago, he said that his father Rajinder Vadra and brother Richard Vadra had been promising jobs and other favours to members of the public.

The notice said that both were not authorised to do so and had no access to him.

The notice specified that the intent was to warn the public at large against being duped.

The notice was issued by Robert through his lawyer, Arun Bhardwaj.

In this regard, the office of Congress president Sonia Gandhi is to despatch a letter to all the offices of the party, office bearers and elected representatives with a copy of the notice.

According to a senior Congress leader, the party wants to ensure that Robert's name is not misused by his relatives.

Congressmen were being told not to entertain any requests by the two relatives or anyone else using Robert's name, the leader said.

Incidentally, when Robert married Priyanka at a simple ceremony in early 1997, there was talk of his family's Sangh Parivar links.

The Vadra family has had traditional links with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for several years, which was an embarrassment for both Sonia and Priyanka.

In Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad town, the Vadra family has given out land in the mid-nineties to the RSS to run one of its schools.

The donation was made by Robert's uncle Om Prakash Vadra who continues to be associated with the school even today.

While the connection has not been an issue so far, with assembly elections to four states round the corner, Congress leaders fear that it might be raked up just to embarrass Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who will be the main campaigner, and Priyanka Vadra who us being seen as a Congress leader-in-waiting.

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