India
oi-Gaurav Sharma
Defence
Minister
Rajnath
Singh
on
Saturday
slammed
Congress
leader
Rahul
Gandhi,
accusing
the
leader
of
opposition
in
the
Lok
Sabha
of
trying
to
tarnish
the
country’s
image
during
his
foreign
visits.
Addressing
a
rally
in
Haryana’s
Badli
in
favour
of
BJP
candidate
O
P
Dhankar,
Singh
said
senior
BJP
leaders
like
Atal
Bihari
Vajpayee
and
L
K
Advani
had
also
been
the
leaders
of
opposition
but
they
never
attempted
to
hurt
the
country’s
reputation
in
other
countries.
The
union
minister
was
referring
to
Gandhi’s
remarks
in
the
US
about
the
Sikh
community.
“Rahul
tries
to
tarnish
the
image
of
India
in
other
countries.
Minister
Rajnath
Singh
He
(Rahul)
says
that
Sikh
community
faces
problems
in
going
to
a
gurdwara
and
cannot
wear
‘kada’,” said
Singh.
“They
try
to
tarnish
the
image.
Should
they
be
supported?”
he
asked.
Singh
asked
the
gathering
if
there
was
any
such
prohibition
on
any
“Sikh
brother”.
“We
played
the
role
of
opposition
for
a
long
time.
Atal
Bihari
Vajpayee
ji
and
L
K
Advani
ji
remained
the
leaders
of
opposition.
They
also
went
abroad
but
they
never
tarnished
the
image
of
the
country
at
international
platforms
despite
the
Congress
remaining
in
power,” he
said.
Gandhi,
while
addressing
a
gathering
of
Indian
Americans
in
Herndon,
a
Virginia
suburb
of
Washington
DC
during
his
recent
visit
to
the
US,
had
said,
“First
of
all,
you
have
to
understand
what
the
fight
is
about.
The
fight
is
not
about
politics.
That
is
superficial.”
Gandhi
had
asked
one
of
the
Sikh
attendees
in
the
front
rows
to
give
his
name.
“What
is
your
name,
brother
with
the
turban,”
he
had
asked.
“The
fight
is
about
whether
a
Sikh
is
going
to
be
allowed
to
wear
his
turban
in
India
or
a
‘kada’ in
India.
Or
he,
as
a
Sikh,
is
going
to
be
able
to
go
to
Gurdwara.
That’s
what
the
fight
is
about.
And
not
just
for
him,
for
all
religions,”
Gandhi
had
said.
The
union
minister
lashed
out
at
the
Congress
over
not
being
able
to
keep
its
poll
promises.
He
cited
an
example
of
Congress-ruled
Himachal
Pradesh,
claiming
that
government
employees
were
protesting
for
their
salaries
there.
“You
see
in
neighbouring
state
Himachal
Pradesh.
After
the
formation
of
the
Congress
government
there,
government
employees
have
to
protest
for
their
salaries.
The
chief
minister
and
ministers
are
pretending
to
give
up
their
salaries,”
he
said.
The
Congress
had
promised
to
give
Rs
1,500
per
month
to
women.
But
it
has
not
been
given
till
today,
he
said.
“Do
you
want
such
a
government
in
Haryana
as
well?”
he
asked
the
gathering.
Further
attacking
the
Congress-ruled
government
in
Karnataka,
Singh
said
the
chief
minister
there
was
facing
serious
allegations
of
corruption.
The
Lokayukta
has
also
lodged
an
FIR
against
the
chief
minister
in
Karnataka,
he
said.
Lashing
out
at
the
Congress
for
accusing
the
BJP
of
being
“anti-dalit”,
Singh
said
if
any
party
is
“anti-dalit” that
is
the
Congress.
The
defence
minister
accused
the
Congress
of
spreading
canards
against
the
Agnipath
military
recruitment
scheme.
“Congress
is
spreading
confusion
about
the
Agniveer
scheme.
Every
Agniveer
of
Haryana
will
be
given
a
job,” he
said.
“Why
are
they
misleading
the
youth
of
the
country?”
he
asked
the
gathering.
He
claimed
that
“non-stop”
development
took
place
in
Haryana
in
the
last
10
years.
