'We would have eliminated terror camps in Balakot sitting in India if we had Rafale jets', claims Rajnath Singh in poll-bound Haryana

If India had the Rafale jets sooner, “we wouldn’t have to go to Pakistan for Balakot airstrike”, Defence minister Rajnath Singh claimed on Sunday. Addressing a rally in Haryana’s Karnal district, Rajnath said, “If we had Rafale fighter aircraft with us, then I think we need not have gone to Pakistan for Balakot airstrike. We could have eliminated terror camps there, even while sitting in India.”

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in Haryana's Karnal: If we had Rafale fighter aircraft with us, then I think we need not have gone to Pakistan for Balakot airstrike. We could have eliminated terror camps there, even while sitting in India. pic.twitter.com/hfRwuyL8UT

— ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2019

He also slammed the Congress for creating a controversy for the Shastra Puja he conducted while inducting the Rafale jets in France, instead of welcoming it. He alleged that such criticism from the Opposition party leaders only “strengthen Pakistan”.

#WATCH Defence Min: I wrote 'Om' on fighter plane (Rafale), & tied a 'raksha bandhan' to it. Congress leaders started a controversy here...They should've welcomed that Rafale is coming here. Instead,they started criticising. Statements by Congress leaders only strengthen Pakistan pic.twitter.com/5q0IU4SkmX

— ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2019

Senior BJP leaders have started campaigning with full force in the two poll-bound states — Haryana and Maharashtra. Senior BJP leaders, including working party president JP Nadda, were present at the event where Rajnath spoke. The saffron party is expected to release its party manifesto for the poll-bound state. Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala, manifesto committee chief OP Dhankar and other senior functionaries and leaders are also present at the event.

The Election Commission announced that the elections for both the states will be held on 21 October, and the results will be announced on 24 October.

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With inputs from ANI