Why poverty still exists even after Gandhi family talked of removing it since independence: Rajnath Singh

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday hit out at the Congress party and its president Rahul Gandhi for promising to remove poverty, saying that similar statements were made by his party leaders in the past, but in vain.

"These Congressmen are saying that they will remove poverty if they are voted to power. I want to remind you that Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru too talked of removing poverty," he said."Indira Gandhi also talked about removing poverty. She even gave the slogan 'Garibi Hatao," Singh said, while addressing an election rally here.

"Rajiv Gandhi also talked of removing poverty and now even Rahul is talking of removing poverty," he added.

"Poverty could not be eradicated. Why? Rahul should answer that question. He has no answer for that," he said.

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singh said: "How a 'Chaiwala' removed poverty? I want to give you an example of that. American Think-Tank Brooklyn Institute has said that around 12.5 crore people were struggling with poverty in 2016 while now only around 5 crore people are in that zone."

He also praised the Prime Minister for retaliating to the Pulwama terror attack.

"I want to congratulate the Prime Minister that he took a decision. Within 13 days, our Air Force stuck at the terrorist camps inside Pakistan," the Home Minister.

The Union Home Minister also criticised the Congress party for questioning the credit bestowed upon the Prime Minister for the air strikes inside Pakistan.

"In 1971, our leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee praised Indira Gandhi in parliament after Pakistan was defeated and Indira was celebrated across India for that. I want to ask Congressmen if Indira could be celebrated for demolishing Pakistan, then why PM Modi cannot be celebrated for giving a befitting reply to Pakistan," he questioned.

Singh also expressed confidence that Narendra Modi will once again be elected as the next Prime Minister of the country.

The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be conducted in seven phases, ending on May 19. The first two phases were held on April 11 and April 18. The counting of votes will be done on May 23.