In what could be considered as his first statement after the completion of disengagement of frontline troops in the Pangong Lake area, the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hit out at Congress-DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) alliance in Tamil Nadu.
He accused Congress of maligning the government's image by making false accusations and DMK for aligning with the party that insults the army.
Kicking off the election campaign in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, the Senior BJP leader took on DMK for having an alliance with Congress that 'cast doubts over army's valour'.
Singh was addressing the party's yuva morcha convention 'Thamarai Ilaignargal Sangamam' in Tamil Nadu's Salem on Sunday.
The minister said that despite the disengagement process completion, Congress is casting doubts over valour and courage of the Indian Army.
"Is it not insulting the supreme sacrifice made by the army in Galwan valley?" asks Singh to a crowd that responded in affirmative.
Singh further assured the people of Tamil Nadu that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would never compromise on India's unity, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.
"There have been nine rounds of dialogue. Yet Congress is maligning us. It says we gave away our lands. Till one drop of blood and one breath remain in our veins, not an inch of land will be encroached upon by any mighty one. Be it any country, we will not allow any unilateral action on our lands no matter the cost," he said.
He mentioned that the country has got 17 Rafael and within a year the rest would arrive.
"And yet Congress and DMK have created controversy around it. They said our PM is a chor (theif) but the court has proved that he is pure," he said.
With farmers' agitation yet to be over, the minister assured that the Prime Minister's dream of doubling farmers' income will be fulfilled soon.
"We have braved pandemic and yet World Bank is estimating our growth rate at 12.5 per cent. Stock markets are doing Jallikattu. We are going to write India's growth story and Tamil Nadu will be part of this story. We have played two defence corridors one is in Uttar Pradesh whereas the other is in Tamil Nadu," the minister said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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