New Delhi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday criticised Rahul Gandhi for his statements in the US and said it was extremely shameful that the Leader of Opposition was hurting India’s dignity by making ‘misleading, baseless and factless’ statements on his foreign tours. Singh also rejected Rahul Gandhi’s claims on the India-China border issue in a post on ‘X’ and said that the kind of claims he has made on US soil are misleading and beyond facts.
At a press conference held at the prestigious National Press Club in Washington on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies on Pakistan, but criticised his way of handling the China issue. When Rahul was asked if he felt India under PM Modi has handled the US-China competition well, the Congress leader said, “Look, if you call the presence of Chinese troops in our 4,000 square kilometer territory as handling things well, then it may be.”
He said, “Chinese soldiers have occupied land equal to the area of Delhi in Ladakh. I think this is a disaster. The media does not want to write about it.” Reacting to Rahul’s statements, Rajnath said that the kind of misleading, baseless and factless things that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is saying during his foreign tour are extremely shameful and hurt the dignity of India.
Singh said, “He has said that the Sikh community in India is not allowed to wear turbans in Gurudwaras, they are being prevented from behaving according to their religion. This is completely baseless and far from the truth.” The Defence Minister said that the entire country recognises and respects the great role the Sikh community has played in protecting India’s culture. Singh said that it does not befit an opposition leader to make such fabricated statements about them.
He said, “Similarly, the kind of claims he has made on the soil of America regarding the India-China border dispute are also misleading and beyond facts. It seems that while running the shop of love, Rahulji has opened a shop of lies. Rahulji should refrain from such misstatements.” He said that Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the NDA government wants to end reservation is completely baseless. Singh said, “Our Prime Minister has strengthened the reservation system for the welfare and development of Dalits, backward and tribals.”
Minorities are the safest in India: Kiren Rijiju
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks about minorities and said that they (minorities) are the safest in India. Responding to a question related to Gandhi’s remarks in the US that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) considers some religions, languages and communities inferior to others, Rijiju said, “No matter how much effort is made, India cannot be defamed because India’s constitution and culture do not discriminate between people.” He said that those who want to defame India with the help of anti-India forces will not succeed.
Minority Affairs Minister Rijiju said that minorities living in India’s neighbourhood come here if something wrong happens to them there. He said, “Minorities are the safest in India.” Gandhi had alleged that the RSS considers some religions, languages and communities inferior to others. He had said that in India, the fight is being fought for this and not for politics. Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, said this while addressing hundreds of people from the Indian American community in Herndon, a Virginia suburb of Washington, on Monday.
He had said, “First of all you have to understand what the fight is about. The fight is not about politics.” Rijiju said that the last attack on the Indian Constitution and parliamentary system was in 1975 during the Emergency. Responding to another question related to Gandhi’s claim of China occupying Indian land, Rijiju said that it is not right to defame India on foreign soil. He said, “Since Narendra Modi came to power, no one has been able to occupy our land… Last time I told the leaders of the opposition parties in the House that if they have time, they should come with me (to the border).”