A set of extremely provocative brochures -- circulated over the past few days in L K Advani's Gandhinagar constituency -- claim that Rahul Gandhi's name is registered in schools as Rahul John Paul, Sonia Gandhi is a devout Catholic, her father was associated with the Italian mafia and Mussolini, and her dreams of becoming the Indian Prime Minister are part of a plan masterminded by the Pope to spread Christianity in India.

Bearing the printline of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Allied Offset Printers, the brochure titled `Sonia, America and Pope when will this end?' has been distributed in the slums of Chandrabhaga, Shankarbhavan and Khari Vadi, a SC and Hindu-dominated area of daily-wage earners and rag-pickers.

According to the VHP, around four lakh such brochures were printed 15 days ago with the knowledge of the BJP for pre-election distribution in Gujarat. Copies have also been sent to Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya and BJP candidate for Ahmedabad seat Harin Pathak.

Another two-sheet brochure titled `Hindu Yuvtiyon Sawdhan' (Beware Hindu women) warns `Hindu Mata Pita' (parents) to beware of Muslim neighbours, colleagues, kiosk holders, ladies garment dealers and cosmetic sellers, who, claims the illustrated leaflet, are on a systematic mission to marry Hindu girls and increase the Muslim population.