Even Nehru didn't try to repeal sedition law, says Chouhan

Dubbing the Congress' election manifesto as a "bunch of lies", former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Wednesday said even former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru did not try to repeal the sedition law, which the grand old party has now promised.

Chouhan also accused Congress president Rahul Gandhi of being an "international liar" saying that he is making false promises ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

In its Lok Sabha poll manifesto released on Tuesday, the Congress has promised to abolish the provision of sedition in the IPC.

"It is a bunch of lies. To confuse people, they (Congress) have promised anything," Chouhan told reporters after addressing a rally in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

"The biggest thing is that the Congress itself has reached the limit of sedition. They have promised to repeal the sedition law, which is to deal with those people who act against the nation. Even former Prime Minister Pt Jawaharlal Nehru did not try to repeal this law.

"It is painful to think that they (Congress) will stoop to that level in greed of votes," he said when asked about Congress' manifesto.

During the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, Congress had made "false" promises, the BJP leader said.

"It had assured to ban liquor, provide unemployment allowance of Rs 2,500, waive farm loan completely and regularise the contractual employees. But all these promises turned out to be false. Rahul Gandhi has been telling across the world that farmers' loans were waived (in the two states), which is the biggest lie. They formed the government riding on false promises," he said.

"After the assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi is again making false promises. He is talking about NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojna -minimum income guarantee scheme). When you (Rahul) did not fulfil promises of assembly election, how come you will deliver promises in the Lok Sabha election. Rahul Gandhi is an international liar, who speaks maximum lies in the world," he said.

"He speaks lies on Rafale deal, Bhatta Parsaul, farm loan waiver and now speaking lies over poverty elimination. Now, people will not fall in his trap," he said.

After Sukma, Chouhan addressed another rally in Kondagaon district.

The eleven Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh will witness polling in three phases- on April 11, April 18 and April 23.

Sukma district and Kondagaon assembly constituency fall in Bastar Lok Sabha constituency- the lone seat in the state that is going to polls in the first phase on April 11.