PATNA: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday strongly defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the face of sharp allegations levelled by Congress on the Rafale aircraft deal, asserting that Modi’s conduct has been entirely above board.

“I know Modi for years. We have worked together. Some people may level allegations such that Modi worked less or that he worked more, or that he should have worked more. But no son of the soil can raise a finger and put question marks on his intentions and his honesty,” said Singh in his address to a gathering of ‘prabuddha varg’ (intellectual sections of society) in Patna.

The home minister said defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has placed all details about the Rafael fighter aircraft deal before the parliament. “I believe the Congress president is trying to mislead the nation… Such fake politics should stop,” he told journalists at the end of his impassioned defence of the PM.

“I want to ask who would Modi want to amass wealth for? Would he give it to his wife or to his children? Who is there? Politicians should weigh their words while levelling allegations,” Singh said in his address. “Do not try to get success by misleading the nation. If you want to succeed, meet the citizens in their eyes and speak,” he added, without naming Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Praising Modi’s tenure as prime minister for the “tremendous progress India has achieved in several areas,” Singh said if this momentum continues, the country would be among the top three nations in the world in the next ten years.

“One country, wither Russia, China or USA, has to come down and India will take that place in the next ten years. International experts are already saying India is on the path of becoming an economic superpower. We want to be a superpower not to intimidate other nations, but to earn the respect and love of every nation,” he added.

Addressing BJP’s shakti kendra in-charges of four Lok Sabha constituencies gathered at Dalsinghsarai in Samastipur district later in the day, Singh said Congress no longer possesses the strength and willpower to lead the nation into the future. He also said terrorism and leftwing extremism would be fully eliminated from the country in the next three years.