'Thought He May Go To Karachi Or Lahore...': Rajnath Singh's Swipe At Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to launch the third and fourth 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra' from Basavakalyana in Bidar district and Avathy in Devanahalli near Bengaluru on March 3.

Union Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh speaks during the 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra', at Nandgad in Belagavi ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: Taking a dig at Congress for raising questions over the valour of armed forces, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Bharat Jodo Yatra was an attempt to “launch” Rahul Gandhi and he thought that the latter may go to Karachi or Lahore as part of the foot-march, news agency PTI reported.

"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," PTI quoted Rajnath Singh as saying.

Flagging off the second part of BJP's 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra' in poll-bound Karnataka’s Nandagad on Thursday, Singh appealed to the people to support the party in the assembly elections due by May. The first part was launched by BJP chief JP Nadda in Chamarajanagara district on Wednesday.

Taking potshots at Gandhi, Singh said, "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."

Accusing the Congress of raising questions on the courage of the defence forces, Singh said, "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."

He also urged the people to take a resolve to form a BJP government in Karnataka once again, and this time with two-third majority, to build a "New Karnataka".

"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 Yediyurappa's service can never be forgotten.

Highlighting various initiatives of the Modi-led government, Singh spoke about HAL manufacturing helicopters in Tumakuru, opening of new airports, and industrial corridors. He also highlighted India's growing stature globally and it emerging as an economic power under the current BJP dispensation at the Centre.

Notably, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to launch the third and fourth 'Vijay Sankalp Yatra' from Basavakalyana in Bidar district and Avathy in Devanahalli near Bengaluru on March 3.

According to party leaders, over 50 state and national leaders will take part in this campaign, which will cover all 31 districts and 224 constituencies of Karnataka.