Rajnath Singh slams Rahul Gandhi for misleading claim on China

Patna, Oct 31: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for the "misleading" claim that China had intruded "1200 kilometres" into India's territory and lavished praise on armed forces for the valour displayed by them in defending the country's honour.

Addressing four back to back rallies in poll-bound Bihar, Singh also tore into the opposition party for having sought "suboot" (proof) of the Balakot air strikes and demanded an "apology" in the wake of Pakistan minister Fawad Chaudhrys recent statement on the floor of the national assembly.

"Some opposition parties are misleading the people. The leader of the Congress is saying that intrusion has been made into 1200 kms of our territory and the land has been captured.

"When the fact is, our jawans showed commendable shaurya and parakram (valour) in defending the country's maan, samman and swabhiman (honour)", said Singh, who spoke in Baikunthpur and Baniapur assembly segments of Gopalganj and Saran besides Maner and Bakhtiyarpur in rural Patna.

The former BJP presidents remarks were in reference to a recent statement by Mr Gandhi, whom he chose not to mention by name.

At a press conference in Punjab earlier this week, the former Congress president had accused the Modi government of having "given away 1200 kms of Bharat Mata to China".

"Let me assure you not an inch of land be captured (in India) by any power in the world. I wonder what is wrong with Congress. Should not all stand united on the issue of national integrity", said Singh, who copiously shared points touched by him on his Twitter handle.

Singh also paid rich tributes to the martyred jawans of Bihar regiment who were killed in the stand-off with Chinese troops at Galwan valley in Ladakh earlier this year.

The Defence Minister also recalled the Balakot airstrikes which had followed the dastardly terrorist attack in Pulwama wherein a large number of CRPF personnel were killed last year when a suicide bomber rammed his car into a bus carrying the jawans.

"Congress was asking for proof of the Balakot air strikes. The statement of a Pakistan Prime Minister on the floor of the national assembly has established the role of their Premier in Pulwama. Now the Congress must apologize", Singh said referring to Mr Choudhary's statement.

The Pakistan minister, who was participating in a debate on the floor of the House, had hailed the "success in Pulwama" achieved under the leadership of Imran Khan and remarked "humne Hindustan ko ghar mein ghuskar maara" (we hit India on its own soil).

Singh said whenever in power, the NDA has "always fulfilled its promises. We scrapped Article 370. Now construction of Ram temple has also begun".

Showering praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Defence Minister said under the current dispensation every paisa spent by the government on welfare schemes was reaching intended beneficiaries.

"Mark the difference since the time of Rajiv Gandhi when admittedly only 15 paise out of a rupee used to reach the people," he said.

The defence minister also underscored the welfare measures undertaken by the Modi government including the Ujjwala Yojana, the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.

"Thanks to our work, the NDA enjoys the trust of the people and under Modi's leadership, our international standing has risen and foreign powers are eagerly extending a hand of friendship towards India", he added.