"Thought he may go to Karachi or Lahore...", Rajnath Singh's dig at Rahul's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'
Nandagad (KTK), Mar 2: Accusing the Congress of raising questions over the valour of armed forces, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said, its 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' was aimed at "launching" their leader Rahul Gandhi, and he thought that the latter may go to Karachi or Lahore as part of the march.
Kick-starting the second part of BJP's 'Vijay Sankapla Yatre' here, he appealed to the people to support the party in the Assembly elections, due by May, to form a government with two-third majority.
The yatre from four different directions across the poll-bound State, in specially designed vehicles or "Rathas", are being launched by the party's central leaders in parts. The first part was launched by BJP National President J P Nadda in Chamarajanagara district on Wednesday.
"Do you know about the young Congress leader, he is being launched now, and for that they had the Bharat Jodo Yatra. India got divided during partition in 1947, so I thought Rahul Gandhi who was on Bharat Jodo Yatra may go to Karachi or Lahore, but he did not go there," Singh said.
Addressing a public meeting here, he asked as to who did Gandhi try to jodo (unite), when the whole of India is united and together.
"One cannot do politics for long by fooling people, only those who do politics with confidence and maintaining eye contact with the people can be successful, and only those in the BJP can do it," he said, as he hit out at the Congress accusing them of using slogans, 'Modi theri kabr khudegi' (Modi your grave will be dug).
"They are not digging Modi's grave, but are digging their own with such slogans. The amount of mud slinging that our Congress friends engage in against BJP and PM Modi, our Lotus will boom that much," Singh said.
Charging the Congress with raising questions on the courage and valour of our defence forces, he asked, "what happened to them?....As the Defence Minister I want to say, we are proud of our Military forces, the kind of brave deeds they have done, if I say it openly, you will be even more proud."
Earlier in the day, Singh visited Sangolli Rayanna's memorial here and paid respects, following which he launched the Yatre.
Sangolli Rayanna (1798-1831) was the army chief of the erstwhile Kittur Kingdom ruled by Rani Chennamma and fought against the British who hanged him to death from a Banyan tree near Nandagad in Belagavi district in 1831.
Singh said, this day and this public meeting is good for the BJP as election results for three north eastern states are being declared today, and among them in Tripura and Nagaland the party is forming the government once again, while in Meghalaya it has increased the number of seats.
The Defence Minister called on the people to take a resolve to form a BJP government in the state once again, and this time with two-third majority, to build a "New Karnataka".
Pointing out that after the 2018 Assembly polls as there was no clear majority to any party, BJP could not serve the state for the entire five years term, Singh said, "it is the wish of the party and its leadership that this time we should get two-third majority in Karnataka and form the government."
The party veteran from the state B S Yediyurappa has also said that he will put his entire strength and work for BJP getting two-third majority, he said, "if BJP is given a mandate for full five years, no one can stop Karnataka from becoming the number one state in south of India."
Noting that Yediyurappa, citing his age and health reasons, decided to quit as CM (in July 2021), Singh said, with his consent Basavaraj Bommai was made the CM.
"When the son of this soil, Yediyurappa resigned voluntarily after serving the state for long, it had to be respected. When Yediyurappa, who has high stature in the party decided to quit as CM, PM Modi and the entire Parliamentary Board decided to make him the member of the Parliamentary Board, which is the highest decision making body," he said, adding that Yediyurappa's service can never be forgotten.
Highlighting various initiatives of the Modi-led government in the state for the development and progress of Karnataka, the Defence Minister spoke about HAL manufacturing helicopters in Tumakuru, opening of new Airports, and industrial corridors.
Claiming that BJP always walks the talk and fulfills the commitment made to the people, he pointed to abrogation of Article 370, and abolition of 'teen talaq", among others, as he also listed boost to UPI transaction and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) among the achievements of Modi government.
He also highlighted India's growing stature globally and it emerging as an economic power, under the current BJP dispensation at the Centre.
Averring that the BJP government under Modi will not tolerate terrorism and those supporting it, he said, as part of this PFI was banned.
The Defence Minister also said that India now produces bombs, tanks, missiles among various other ammunitions required for national security within the country and no longer imports them to the extent earlier. "We are now into Make in India and Make for the World"
While Singh flagged off second yatre today from Nandagad, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to launch the third and fourth yatre from Basavakalyana in Bidar district and Avathy in Devanahalli near Bengaluru, on March 3, in the morning and afternoon, respectively.
According to party leaders, more than 50 state and national leaders will take part in this campaign, which will cover all 31 districts and 224 constituencies of the State.
The tours will cover 8,000 km, along which the party has planned over 80 rallies, 74 public meetings and about 150 road shows, they said, adding that it is expected to "touch" about four crore people.
The 20-day long yatre will culminate with a mega rally in the district headquarters town of Davangere on March 25 which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The yatre that will begin from four different places will consist of 10-12 leaders in each of them.
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Canadian report finds 'no definitive link' between Nijjar killing and India
Ottawa, Jan 29 (PTI): A Canada commission report has said that "no definitive link" with a "foreign state" in the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was "proven", smashing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations that accused the involvement of Indian agents in the killing.
In September 2023, Trudeau said Canada had credible evidence that agents of the Indian government were involved in the murder of Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023.
The report titled "Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions' was released on Tuesday.
In the report commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue said "Disinformation is used as a retaliatory tactic to punish decisions that run contrary to a state's interests."
The report has suggested India spread disinformation on the killing of Nijjar.
"This may have been the case with a disinformation campaign that followed the Prime Minister's announcement regarding suspected Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (though again no definitive link to a foreign state could be proven)," the report said.
Nijjar was gunned down in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.
The 123-page report also talked of expelling six Indian diplomats.
"In October 2024, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials in reaction to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India," it said.
However, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced the withdrawal of its high commissioner.
The relations between India and Canada came under severe strain following Prime Minister Trudeau's allegations in September last year of the "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar.
New Delhi had rejected Trudeau's charges as "absurd".
India has repeatedly criticised Trudeau's government for being soft on supporters of the Khalistan movement who live in Canada. The Khalistan movement is banned in India but has support among the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada.
On Tuesday, India strongly rejected "insinuations" made against it in the report by a Canadian commission that investigated allegations that certain foreign governments were meddling in Canada's elections.
In a strong reaction, the MEA in New Delhi said it rejects the report's "insinuations" on India.
It is in fact Canada which has been "consistently interfering" in India's internal affairs, it said.
