The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Indira scored half century in toppling govts & we are accused of killing democracy: Rajnath
A DAY after Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the Opposition of “spreading lies” over the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) while campaigning in Gujarat, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday hit out at the Congress for “toppling governments”.
“Indira Gandhi scored a half century in toppling governments,” he said at a press conference in Ahmedabad. “Of the 132 times when the President’s rule was imposed under Article 356, the Congress called for it on 90 occasions. And we (the BJP) are being accused of killing democracy. I want to ask Congress leaders if our government or our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has even once toppled an elected government,” he said.
Latching on to the comments by Indian Overseas Congress chairman Sam Pitroda on inheritance tax, Singh slammed the leader and the party during poll gatherings in Anand and Bhavnagar. “He (Pitroda) said a system like America should be implemented in India as well. If some head of a family passes away, then 55 per cent of his property should be given to the government and only 45 per cent should remain with his family. Is this agreeable to you? Where do these people want to take the country to?” the BJP leader said in Anand.
Last week, Pitroda triggered a huge political row when he spoke about the possibility of discussing and debating the inheritance tax system prevailing in some parts of the US.
Singh began his attack against the Congress on Sunday at the Ahmedabad press briefing. During the 10-year-rule of the
United Progressive Alliance (UPA), he said, an “Olympics of corruption” was organised by the Congress and that the party “harassed maximum number of elected governments”. “If action is taken against corruption, they (Congress) say that democracy is in danger. If the 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 asked.
“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 said.
BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal waselectedunopposedfromsurat lastweekaftercongresscandidate Nilesh Kumbhani's nomination was cancelled over alleged discrepancies in papers and Independents in the fray withdrew their candidature. The "unopposed election" prompted sharpattacksfromtheopposition.
“Before this, 28 MPS had been elected unopposed. Among them, 20 are from the Congress... two each are of the Samajwadi Party and the Nationalconference,”singhsaid. “I think the Congress is talking like this out of frustration. The Congress is saying that this time democracy is in danger. If there is any party which killed democracy in this country by bringing in Emergency... it was the Congress.”
“The kind of atmosphere I am seeing in the country this time, I think Congress will be decimated. Now, they don't have strength to stand. I think if you ask children after 10 years if what Congress is... they will ask in reply 'Congress, who?' The way dinosaurs went extinct from Earth... similarly Congress will also go extinct," said the BJP leader.