On a day Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her debut visit to Uttar Pradesh as Congress General Secretary, her husband Robert Vadra on Monday said she was a "perfect wife" and "the best mother" to their children and now the time had come to "hand her to the people of India".
"Please keep her safe," Vadra said in an emotive Facebook post, doffing his hat to his "best friend" over the years and warning her against the prevailing "vindictive and vicious" political atmosphere.
Vadra's post came as Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia, who took charge as AICC general secretary UP east and UP west, respectively, last week, participated in a road show in Lucknow on Monday along with Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
"My Best wishes to you P, on your new journey of working in Uttar Pradesh and serving the people of India. You have been my best friend, a perfect wife, and the best mother to our children," Vadra said.
"There is a very vindictive and vicious political atmosphere... But I know, it's her duty to serve the people and now we hand her to the people of India. Please keep her safe," said Vadra, the brother-in-law of the Congress president.
Priyanka Gandhi married Vadra in 1997. The couple has two children.
Vadra is under a probe by the Enforcement Directorate and was questioned for three consecutive days last week in connection with a probe into allegations of money laundering to purchase assets abroad.
He is expected to make a fresh appearance before the ED on Tuesday in Jaipur in connection with a probe into an alleged land scam in the Rajasthan's border town of Bikaner.
Last week, Priyanka Gandhi had come out strongly in support of her husband, whom she had dropped off at the Enforcement Directorate's office on the first day of questioning.
"He is my husband, he is my family...I support my family," she had said when asked whether she was sending a message by dropping off her husband.
Her show of support to her husband had come days after another emotional message from Vadra on her appointment as AICC general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh east.
"Congratulations P... always by your side in every phase of your life. Give it your best,” Vadra said in a Facebook post.
(PTI)