Andhra Pradesh, May 5: Hitting out strongly against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that a leader who is not being praised in his country but is getting applauded by Pakistani leaders, has "no moral right" to do politics. He was addressing a public meeting in Kadapa constituency in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday.

"Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is being praised in Pakistan, you can't find anyone praising him in India, but a former Pakistan minister has praised him. As per my understanding, if a person who is not praised in his own country but is being praised but other country, that person has no moral right to do politics in India," Singh said in his address. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Files Nomination From Lucknow; UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Pushkar Singh Dhami Join Mega Roadshow (See Pics and Video).

This comes after former Pakistan Minister Fawad Chaudhry praised Rahul Gandhi saying that he has a "socialist ideology" inside him. He also stated "Rahul on fire" while posting a clip of Rahul Gandhi's speech. The Defence Minister highlighted that BJP conferred Bharat Ratna to former Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao, a Congress leader who also served as former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

BJP has given the country's highest honour to former Prime Minister of India PV Narasimha Rao 'Garu', who is respected all over India by the name of Telugu Bidda, by awarding him Bharat Ratna. But Congress has never gave him the respect that he deserved, he added. "PV Narasimha Rao, referred as 'Telugu Bidda' was born on this land of Andhra Pradesh. He was the Prime Minister of India. The whole country respected him, but the Congress did not give him the respect he deserved. If anyone has given respect to him, it is our government. We have honoured him with Bharat Ratna. We believe, whether someone is from our party or other party, if he has contributed for the country, he should be honoured," the Defence Minister added. Rajnath Singh Exhorts Corporate Sector To Contribute Generously to Corporate Social Responsibility.

He further attacked Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy over rise in crimes against women and mafia, adding that the Chief Minister has "no right" to be on his chair. "YSR district is a home district of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, but still there is rise in cases of rape and molestation. He (Jagan) has no right to be on the chair," the Defence Minister said.

"Sand Mafia, land mafia, Mining and Liquor Mafias are ruling Andhra Pradesh today. Land grabbing is being done openly by YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh. This land grabbing will stop only when NDA government comes in the state," he added. The Defence Minister also exuded confidence that BJP will form a 'double-engine' government in Andhra Pradesh.

"I want to assure people here that double-engine government will be formed here with BJP-TDP. I want to assure the people today that we will completely end bad governance here and make the state free of corruption," he further sadid. Stating that both general and assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh are taking place simultaneously, Rajnath Singh affirmed BJP's promise of making this the norm in the entire country with 'One Nation One Election'.

The Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh will be simultaneously held on May 13. In the 2019 Assembly elections, the YSRCP won with a thumping majority of 151 seats, while the TDP was confined to 23 seats. In the Lok Sabha polls, the YSRCP won 22 seats, while the TDP could only win three seats.