If Indira Gandhi is credited, why should Modi not be?: Rajnath Singh

Ahmedabad, Mar 30: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asked the crowd why PM Modi should not get credit for the decision to carry out air strikes in Pakistan's Balakot, which destroyed a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp.

Singh spoke of the air strike, comparing PM Modi's achievement to that of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, under whose leadership India defeated Pakistan in the 1971 war, a result of which was the fact that Bangladesh was created.

"After the war, our leader A B Vajpayee praised Indira Gandhi in Parliament. She was also praised all over the country," Singh added.

Referring to the Pulwama attack, the home minister said, "When our 40-42 CRPF soldiers lost their lives in a fidayeen attack, Modiji gave a free hand to our forces."

"If Indira Gandhi can get the credit of dividing Pakistan in 1971, why shouldn't Modiji get the credit for what he has done in Balakot," Rajnath asked.

He then said that the opposition Congress hadn't shown that spirit for when PM Modi gave the armed forces the go-ahead to carry out the "pre-emptive, non military" strike in Pakistan's Balakot.

Referring to the Pulwama terror attack which the Jaish-e-Mohammed took full responsibility for, Rajnath Singh said, "When over 40 of our CRPF soldiers lost their lives in a suicide terror attack, Modiji gave a free hand to our forces."

"Should he not be given credit for that?" he questioned.

The rally at Gandhinagar, which was also seen as a show of strength of the BJP-led NDA, was organised because Amit Shah takes over from LK Advani to contest from the constituency by filing his nomination papers today.

Advani, a veteran leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, was a member of parliament from Gandhinagar for over 25 years. Atal Bihari Vajpayee too, contested and represented Gandhinagar for a brief time.