Opposition leaders slam Rajnath's remarks on Nehru
New Delhi (PTI): Several opposition leaders on Wednesday slammed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's remarks that the country's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, wanted to build the Babri masjid using public funds, and accused him and the ruling BJP of distorting historical facts.
Addressing a gathering on Tuesday at Sadhli village near Vadodara as part of a 'Unity March' to commemorate Sardar Patel's 150th birth anniversary, Singh said, "Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to build the Babri Masjid (in Ayodhya) using public funds. If anyone opposed this proposal, it was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, born to a Gujarati mother.
"He didn't allow the Babri Masjid to be built using public funds".
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the remarks are aimed at distracting attention from real issues that need to be discussed.
"These are all distractions. There are many other real issues that need to be discussed. They create a new distraction every day so that we are unable to discuss the real issues of the people," the Wayanad MP told media persons.
Congress Lok Sabha MP from Chandigarh Manish Tewari said the defence minister should focus on strategic challenges "instead of twisting and turning history to suit his narrative".
Congress Lok Sabha MP from Saharanpur Imran Masood also questioned Singh's claim.
"I don't know why he is making such remarks. We only know of one historical document. If it concerns Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, they should have the document...," Masood told reporters.
"Nobody will accept it just because he says so. Yes, there is one document in which Sardar Patel took action to ban the RSS... All of this was done by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. His roadmap is the very path on which the country is progressing today. He also fostered scientific thinking," he said.
Other opposition parties also criticised the Defence Minister's remarks.
Samajwadi Party (SP) MP from Badaun, Dharmendra Yadav, said Singh should focus on defence issues.
"Rajnath Singh is a very experienced leader and India's defence minister, and he should focus on providing facilities and other conveniences to our armed forces and fighters... I believe the defence minister may not be fully aware of such matters. You know how the Bharatiya Janata Party presents historical facts, and I think the entire country understands this," he said.
TMC MP Kirti Azad and NCP(SP)'s Fauzia Khan also spoke on similar lines.
"Rajnath Singh is in a very responsible constitutional post serving as the Defence Minister. He is such a senior leader... it doesn't suit him. He should either present evidence of what he is saying or apologise and resign. It is shameful..." Azad said.
Khan, meanwhile, said, "I feel the topic is condemnable. The money that should be used for the Masjid should be earned honestly; there is no such thing as government funding, so why is it being discussed?"
Congress Lok Sabha MP from Katihar, Tariq Anwar, accused the BJP leader of "digging up old issues".
"Whether it is Rajnath Singh, the prime minister, or the entire BJP and NDA government, their only job seems to be digging up old issues, reviving past controversies, and raking up history.
"They keep talking about Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, but Nehru is not alive today to respond. They deliberately pull such topics out of the pages of history, knowing well that the person they are accusing is no longer present to answer for himself," he said.
VIDEO | Delhi: Congress leader Pawan Khera, on Rajnath Singh's 'Nehru wanted to build Babri mosque using public funds' remark, says, "I did not expect such comments from a Defence Minister... They don't have proof of it but we have proof that the 800 year old Jhandewalan temple… pic.twitter.com/Y7N9zYoXZX
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Russian military hardware, spare parts for Indian military to be manufactured in India
New Delhi (PTI): Russia agreed to encourage joint manufacturing in India of military hardware and spare parts for maintenance of Russian-origin arms and defence equipment.
Ways to bolster overall bilateral defence cooperation figured prominently during summit talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
It has been a long-standing grievance of armed forces that the supply of critical spares and equipment from Russia takes a long time, affecting the maintenance of military systems procured from that country.
"Both sides agreed to encourage joint manufacturing in India of spare parts, components, aggregates and other products for maintenance of Russian origin arms and defence equipment under Make-in-India programme through transfer of technology," a joint statement said.
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It said both sides also agreed to set up joint ventures for meeting the needs of the Indian armed forces as well as subsequent export to mutually friendly third countries.
The joint statement said the India-Russia defence partnership is being reoriented to take up joint co-development and co-production of advanced defence technology and systems.
In their meeting on Thursday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov resolved to expand bilateral defence cooperation.
In the meeting, the Indian side showed keen interest in procurement of additional batches of S-400 missile systems from Moscow to bolster its combat prowess.
In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding a warning by the US that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions under the provisions of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Three squadrons have already been delivered.
The S-400 systems played a crucial role during Operation Sindoor. India may also look at procuring the S-500 missile systems from Russia.
In the Modi-Putin talks, the two sides also agreed to continue jointly developing systems of bilateral trade settlements through the use of national currencies.
Additionally, the two sides agreed to continue their consultations on enabling the interoperability of the national payment systems, financial messaging systems, as well as central bank digital currency platforms.
Modi and Putin appreciated the ongoing intensification of the joint work on a free trade agreement on goods between India and the Eurasian Economic Union, covering sectors of mutual interest, the joint statement said.
They also directed both sides to intensify efforts in negotiations on a mutually beneficial agreement on the promotion and protection of investment, it said.
India and Russia also welcomed steps to ensure long-term supply of fertilisers to India and discussed the potential establishment of joint ventures in this area.
