Pakistan and China got together to pose a threat to India's security twice, and on both occasions, Congress was in power, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday, adding that only the BJP can protect the nation. “Till the time the BJP is in power, we will not let our Bharat Mata down. The BJP is the only party that can protect this country and keep it secure,” said Singh, addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Rasara constituency. Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who criticised the BJP government’s foreign policy in his address in Lok Sabha, saying that India had let Pakistan and China to come together, which has become a threat, Singh said: “I would like to tell Rahul Gandhi that India had to make compromise and let Pakistan and China come together during the Congress regimes.” “Pakistan had handed over Shaksgam valley to China when Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister. Later, Karakoram Highway was constructed through Pakistan Occupied Kashmir when Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister. Then Pakistan Economic Corridor was started. Narendra Modiji was not Prime Minister then, it was Manmohan Singhji,” Singh said at another rally in Khalilabad. Emphasising that he did not believe in attacking the former Prime Ministers, he said: “I do not want to talk about former Prime Ministers. it is a post that deserves respect. I never spoke bad of them too. But I have to put the facts before the people.” Singh is on a two-day election campaign in the eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh. Both Rasara and Khalilabad go to vote on March 3. In his rallies, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister lauded Prime Minister Modi for the welfare schemes initiated by the central government. He also praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the law and order situation in the state. To drive home the point that the country’s borders are safe under the BJP regime, Singh, who held the Home portfolio in the previous term of the Modi-led government, recalled how India hit back at Pakistan after the Uri and Pulwama attacks. “The Prime Minister held a meeting and in 10 minutes a decision was taken. Our Air Force crossed the border and gave a befitting reply,” he said. Singh said all previous non-BJP governments in Uttar Pradesh had corruption allegations and scandals against their ministers. “Their ministers went to jail. But there were no scam allegations against the BJP governments in the past too,” he said. He urged the people to make their electoral choice wisely. “You think about it. Does Lakshmi (goddess of prosperity) come riding an elephant (symbol of BSP, which has formidable candidates in the region), does it ride a cycle (SP’s symbol). Goddess Lakshmi sits on Lotus (BJP symbol). You should remember that in your households, Goddess Lakshmi comes in the shape of free gas connection, pipe connection and power connectivity,” he said.
