Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday accused the Congress of corruption and suppressing democracy, stating that during the United Progressive Alliance’s 10-year rule, an “Olympics of corruption” was organised by the party and that the party had harassed the most number of elected governments. “As far as the Lok Sabha elections are concerned, its beginning (for BJP) has been done from Surat, where our candidate has been elected unopposed. But the Congress is levelling allegations against us that democracy is in danger. I do not understand the basis of such an allegation,” Singh, who is in Gujarat to campaign for the BJP for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, said while addressing a press conference in Ahmedabad. “Before this, 28 MPs had been elected unopposed. Among them, 20 are of the Congress. Two each are of the Samajwadi Party and the National Conference,” Singh said. “I think the Congress is talking like this out of frustration (fearing defeat). The Congress is saying that this time democracy is in danger. I want to state—and the entire country knows this as well—that if there is any party which killed democracy in this country by bringing in emergency, it was the Congress.” “Out of the 132 times when the President’s rule was imposed under Article 356, the Congress did so on 90 occasions. Indira Gandhi alone scored a half-century in toppling governments. And we are being accused of killing democracy. I want to ask Congress leaders if our government or our prime minister has even once toppled an elected government.” Attacking the Congress on the issue of corruption, Singh said, “If action is taken against corruption, they (Congress) say that democracy is in danger. If ED (Enforcement Directorate) has done something wrong, then you can go to court. If something wrong has been done, you can get relief from the court. If you don’t, what is the reason for it?” Singh said that the ED had attached properties worth Rs 1 lakh crore and cash worth Rs 22,000 crore. Before 2014, he added, the ED seized cash worth of only Rs 34 lakh. “In the 10 years of UPA rule, an Olympics of corruption was held. And its chief organiser was Congress party,” he said. ‘Olympics in 2036, poverty eradication in 10 years’ Singh said the BJP government would organise Olympics in India in 2036. He also said that India was poised to be among the world’s top three economies by 2027 because of the “strong and credible leadership” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has “vision, mission and passion”. He alleged that the Congress, on the other hand, did not have “neta, niti aur niyat (leader, policy and intention)”. Singh also also said the BJP would eradicate poverty from the country in the next 5-10 years. Later, while replying to a question on Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s statement on inflation under the Modi government, Singh said, “I can say that among all the developed countries in the world, if inflation is the minimum in a country, it is yours and mine, Bharat.” Singh is scheduled to address three public meetings in Gujarat, where the ruling BJP is facing protests by the Kshatriya community owing to a statement made by its Rajkot candidate and Union minister Parshottam Rupala. Singh evaded answering a question about the Kshatriya protests and said, “Sab saath rahenge. (All will stay with us.)” Gujarat will vote on May 7 in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
