Rajnath Singh: Ghar wapsi of governance
Centre for an out-of-court settlement on Ram temple issue
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-05-30 01:18 GMT
New Delhi: Backing “RSS ideology” and declaring that the “Ram temple” issue remained important for the Narendra Modi government, home minister Rajnath Singh broke his silence on Friday on concerted attacks by the Congress and other Opposition critics who claimed that the RSS was meddling in the education system and “running the NDA government”.
Dismissing allegations that the RSS had any role in the BJP-led government, the home minister said he himself was an RSS swayamsevak and that he “believes in its ideology” and depiction of Indian culture and ethos, which the government was keen to “strengthen”.
Mr Singh said the Centre had no problem with a cow slaughter ban. “If state governments make laws to ban cow slaughter, the Centre has no problem,” he said.
Further dismissing the repeated criticism of the RSS ideology by the Opposition parties, Singh said, “I am an RSS swayamsevak. I believe in RSS ideology as it promotes an India where all 72 sects of Islam exist. RSS promotes an Indian culture due to which a 2,000 year old church exists in Kerala.”RSS promotes Indian culture by virtue of which Parsis from Iran are given utmost respect here. RSS also promotes an Indian culture where Jews are respected,” the home minister said.
Clearing the air over the Modi government’s stand on Ram Temple, Singh said, “Ram temple is a sub judice issue. We have to wait for the court verdict. But the two communities may hold talks on the issue and can find a solution. No talks as of now. If there is a middle path, nothing like that.”
The home minister said that during the last one year of the government, good governance and development had finally staged a come back after 10 years. “Is sarkar mein susashan aur vikas ki ghar wapsi hui hai (during last one year, good governance and development have staged a comeback),” he said.
Beef question stumps Rajnath Singh
New Delhi, May 29: Home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday used cricket parlance to define his ministry’s work, but was stumped by a question about his views on ministerial colleague Mukhtar Abas Naqvi’s suggestion that beef eaters should go to Pakistan.
“The score as of now is one strong year with no loss of wicket,” Mr Singh said at a press conference to highlight achievements of the NDA government over the last year. When the 63-year-old UP veteran, with his junior in the ministry Kiren Rijiju by his side, began to take questions, a journalist sought to “stump” Mr Singh by asking a question in the cricket jargon.
“Mr home minister, you spoke about a year without loss but what about the “hit-wicket” that your Cabinet ministers often end up doing by making statements like those eating beef should go to Pakistan?” the reporter asked. He also wondered whether Mr Rijiju, who was reported to have said he ate beef, should be sent to Pakistan.
Unable to suppress a smile, Mr Singh said,”All those in India will stay in India.” Mr Rijiju said no restrictions can be put on food habits in a secular country like India, and said he ate beef. Later, however, the minister of state denied he made any such statement.