Dismissing as "false propaganda" that Congress was not concerned about Tamils in Sri Lanka, Sonia Gandhi today raised the emotional issue of her husband Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, saying the former prime minister sacrificed his life "fighting" for them.

Addressing her maiden election rally in Tamil Nadu, Gandhi also attacked the Jayalalithaa Government, virtually charging it with adopting a lethargic approach to the initiative taken by the UPA on fishermen level talks.

Gandhi said her husband had "sacrificed his life fighting for the brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka.

Congress is contesting all 39 Lok Sabha seats in the state on its own.

The UPA Chairperson insisted that her party had been striving for welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils and outlined Congress' commitment to "solve" their problems.