Narendra Modi's 56-inch chest not reduced an inch: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that the "56-inch chest" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not decreased "an inch" and asserted that there should be no doubt on that score.

He also said if Pakistan does not have the capability to curb terrorist activities in its territory, it should seek India's help. Singh was asked by Rajat Sharma on his programme "Aap ki Adalat" on India TV about Modi's Lok Sabha election campaign in which he had said that a "56-inch chest" was needed to tackle Pakistan.

"It has not decreased. I am the Home Minister. I know confidential matters. I have the IB with me. It has not decreased. There should be no doubts on that score. I can only say that the 56-inch chest is there," the channel quoted Singh as saying in a press release.

The Home Minister said he wanted to give a message to Pakistan that it should curb terrorist activities on its soil. "If Pakistan feels it does not have the capacity to curb terrorist activities, it should seek assistance from India. If they want, it can happen. They can also seek assistance from other countries of the world," he said.

Singh said there has been a 52 per cent decline in infiltration from Pakistan in the last two years. The number of security personnel killed by Maoists has come down. On the terror attack in Pathankot, he said it is because of the government's strategy that the US asked Pakistan to cooperate in the investigation into the attack. The Minister said that "some papers" on the Ishrat Jehan case were missing.