Rajnath brings up Balakot at Palamu

Daltonganj/Hazaribag: Ignoring the opposition’s allegations that BJP is politicizing the armed forces, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi sat in a huddle for two days to chalk out the strategy for Indian Air Force’s (IAF) strikes in Balakot, Pakistan, in February.
Addressing a rally at Karpoori Maidan in Hussainabad, Singh said: “PM Modi and I deliberated about our plan of action for two days. Then, at 3am the next day, Air Force scripted history.” Singh was canvassing for BJP’s Palamu candidate V D Ram.

Singh’s visit came hours before Modi’s scheduled road show in Ranchi. Singh recalled the achievements of Indian scientists and the country’s growing importance on the global stage. “Under Modi’s leadership, India is emerging as a taqatwar desh (powerful country) like USA, Russia and China,” he said.

Ridiculing opposition parties for seeking proof in the aftermath of Balakot strikes, Singh said the IAF’s job was to hit the targets and not count the bodies and the objective was completed. He said: After the Pulwama terror attack, all the countries stood with India, whose policy is not to fire the first bullet, but respond strongly to any bullet fired at it”.

“Our leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was then in the opposition, had praised the then PM Indira Gandhi after the 1971 war against Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh. But now that Modi had taken a big step, the opposition leaders are raising questions instead of praising him,” he said

Singh praised the government’s pro-poor schemes such as PM Awas Yojna, Ujjwala Yojna and others. “Every Indian must see the status of the PM Awas Yojana to understand the real indicators of development. While only 25 lakh houses were built till 2014, more than 1.3 crore houses have been built since 2014 under Modi’s leadership,” said Singh.

Singh also said that Naxalism will be rooted out in the country by 2023. Naxals have been almost eliminated in Jharkhand and their remaining pockets in the state will end soon, he said. Singh said JMM and Congress have joined hands in the state due to their lust for power but they will not be successful in achieving their aim. “There is no leader in the opposition to match the stature of Modi and other leaders are “dwarfs” compared to him,” he said

Addressing another rally in the neighbouring Chatra Lok Sabha constituency for BJP's Sunil Kumar Singh, Saingh said ‘garibi-mukt Bharat’ can only be possibble only when there is a Congress-mukt Bharat. “In the last five years, the BJP-led NDA government made notable achievements in opening bank accounts for the poor, building roads, distribution of gas cylinders and its housing scheme and .5 crore people were taken out of poverty,”he said.

Palamau goes to the polls along with Chatra and Lohardaga (ST) seats in the fourth phase of polling on April 29.

Addressing another poll rally in Hazaribag, Singh took a jibe at Congress and said, “Right from Indira Ji to Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party has been pitching Gareebi Hatao slogan, however they failed every time as they never meant to work for the poor and the downtrodden.”

(With input from agencies)