‘Bhagwaan aisa padosi kisi ko na de’: Rajnath Singh's jibe at Imran government

New Delhi: A day after Pakistan downgraded its bilateral ties with India and expelled Indian High Commissioner to Islamabad, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that no country should get "such a neighbour". He reiterated former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's remark to state that no country has the privilege to change its neighbouring nation.

Speaking at an event, Rajnath said "Sabse badi aashanka toh hume hamare padosi ke bare mein rehti hai. Samasya yeh hai, aap dost badal sakte hain magar padosi ka chunav aapke haath mein nahi hota hai. Aur jaisa padosi hamare bagal mein baitha hai, paramatma kare ki aisa padosi kisi ko na mile (We are always doubtful about our neighbour and its intentions. The problem is, one can change his friends but not neighbours. And the kind of neighbour we have, we pray to God that no one should get such a neighbour).''

Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan decided to downgrade diplomatic relations with India following the Indian government's move to scrap Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

On Tuesday, Parliament approved modification in Article 370 of the Constitution which provides subjects of the state with the special right on land, government jobs, scholarship among others.