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Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. (Image source: PTI)
The senior BJP leader lashed out at Rahul Gandhi at a public meeting, saying people like Gandhi want to lead the country and claimed that many Congress leaders wanted Gandhi to contest against Amithi but he Choose to escape
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday asserted that India needs a leader with a 56-inch bust, not one who flees war, as he mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for “escaping” Amethi and turning to Competing with Ray Barelli.
The senior BJP leader lashed out at the former Congress president at a public meeting here, saying people like Gandhi wanted to lead the country and claimed that many Congress leaders wanted Gandhi to contest against Amethi , but he chose to escape.
“He can’t muster up the courage to take on Amisi… I’m worried that after he escapes this fight, he may be given a different name.” Singh said with a wry smile.
“People like him (Gandhi) want to lead the country. One should have a 56-inch chest to lead the country.
Modi often describes himself as a leader with a 56-inch chest to show that he is strong and decisive.
The Congress party had earlier announced that Gandhi would contest from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat and not the Amethi constituency, where he lost to the BJP’s Smriti Irani in 2019 after three consecutive terms.
His mother Sonia Gandhi has been contesting from the Rai Bareli seat since 2004 and is now a member of the Lok Sabha.
Claiming that once the elections are over, the number of MPs will also be over, Singh hit out at Pakistan leader Chaudhry Fawad Hussain for his praise of Rahul Gandhi.
Hussain had earlier expressed support for the Pulwama terror attack in India.
Pointing out India’s retaliatory attacks on terror camps in Pakistan after terrorists attacked Uri and Pulwama during Modi’s first term, the former BJP chief said this conveyed sent a message that the country is no longer weak.
He added that under Modi’s leadership, India is a strong country and its voice is given due importance on the global platform.
“India has sent the message that India can kill (terrorists) within its borders and outside its borders,” the defense minister asserted.
Pointing out that Mahatma Gandhi wanted to dissolve the Congress party after independence and not get involved in politics, Singh said people should realize his wish in elections and eliminate the main opposition party.
India under Modi has emerged as a strong country and its voice is heard globally, he said, adding that its economy has also become the fifth largest in the world.
More than 250 million people have also been lifted out of poverty, Singh said.
He said that when war broke out between the two countries, Modi spoke to Russian and Ukrainian leaders to secure a ceasefire for more than four hours so that Indian students could be evacuated from the war zone.
Singh accused the Congress party of practicing divisive politics and lashed out at the party, citing a recent row over Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s mention of inheritance tax.
The defense minister said the BJP’s victory in the Lok Sabha polls has begun with its candidate being elected unopposed in Surat and hit back at the Congress’ criticism of the ruling party, saying the Congress nominee So far, he has been elected unopposed 20 times in multiple polls.
All 10 seats in Haryana will go to polls in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 25.
Rohtak had long been a bastion of Congress stalwart Bhupinder Singh Hooda until the BJP won Rohtak in 2019 with its candidate Arvind Arvind Sharma rode the “Modi wave” to defeat his son Deepender Singh Hooda by a slim margin of over 7,000 votes.
The two candidates are once again locked in a race.
Check out the 2024 Lok Sabha election third phase schedule, main candidates and constituencies: news18 website.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a Yonhap news agency feed – PTI)
