"Democratic values runs deep through country's veins": Rajnath Singh slams Congress in UP

Ballia (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 17 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hit back at the opposition for accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of destroying democracy and reminded the Congress of the Emergency of 1975 when fundamental rights of citizens were suspended.
He was addressing a public meeting in Ballia on Friday, where he said that no one has the guts to end democracy, as democratic values run deep through the veins of India.
"Congress has many times dismissed elected governments by using Article 356. After the 1992 disputed structure demolition, four BJP governments were dismissed by Congress, was it not dictatorship? But in the ten-year rule of PM Modi, not a single government has been dismissed because he believes that every elected government should function," he said.
Attacking opposition parties, he said, "Opposition is telling people that if the BJP wins 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, then PM Modi will become dictator and democracy will be destroyed."
"I want to ask who has killed the democracy in India after independence. After Congress lost the election in 1975, Indira Gandhi imposed an emergency in the country, and the fundamental rights of people were suspended," he said.
Responding to the Congress' allegations that China has taken over part of Indian land, he said, "As a defence minister of the country, I can assure you that we haven't lost any piece of land and we will never let it happen. What we have lost during Congress rule has been discussed."
"PoK humara tha, humara hai aur humara rahega. He further said that the people of PoJK will themselves demand to come and be recognised internationally and formally as a part of India," he added.
"We are not exporting nuts and bolts, but Brahmos missiles to other countries. We have exported defence equipments worth of Rs 21,000 crores. Bharat is no longer a weak country but a strong nation," he said. (ANI)