Mysuru: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has claimed that the NDA Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the strongest in terms of achievements made during the last five years since 1947.

Speaking at BJP ‘Shakti Kendra Pramukhs’ Meet at JK Grounds in city yesterday afternoon, she lauded Modi and said that “in the history of any nation, it’s not very often that you get a leadership like what you have got now. Last five years had been intense working and development was upwards in all the sectors. You see the Prime Minister without a day’s break working and all of us from our Ministries being pulled up and inspired. One very obvious and noteworthy difference between the previous and current Government is that there was not a whisper of corruption under Modi’s tenure. That’s why the AICC President Rahul Gandhi probably feels the need to point out or pick issues,” she added.

About General Elections due very shortly, she said that “2019 elections to the Lok Sabha is certainly not just any other election and it cannot be taken lightly. Each and every one in the party has to be a campaigner. We have to do 10 times more than what we have done in 2013-14. The BJP will fight an election. Particularly, under the leadership of Modi, we will definitely give a very good fight and win.”

Charging that the allegations against Modi Government are baseless, she said that “all facts checked, it is true that between 2014 and today, vis-a-vis 2004 and 2013, except for Kashmir, has there been any terrorist/minor bomb attack anywhere else in the country? Let’s talk on facts. Opposition allegations are not based on facts and they could stoop to any level to make allegations,” she charged.

“There could have been truth in the allegations that India would run out of ammunition if there was a continuous war for 10 days. But in the last five years, things have changed. The problems of the defence sector were so severe that the forces did not have bulletproof jackets, ammunition for tankers and technology upgradation for the Air Force,” the Defence Minister said.

Responding to a question on the dastardly Pulwama terror attack, Nirmala Sitharaman said that the anger, disappointment and the emotions of the people to strike back are well absorbed by the Government and the Prime Minister. She said that there was no need to analyse more on Balakot strike and declined to link the air strike on terror camp with the coming Lok Sabha election.

“After Pulwama attack, we were waiting patiently for days. When we got information the terrorist attacks were originating from that region (Pakistan), without military action, we carried out the strike pointedly,” she added.

She tore into the Congress and other Opposition parties and said those who did nothing after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks were asking for proof for the air strikes on terror camps operating out of Pakistan.  The Defence Minister said some people in the country were speaking the same language as that of Pakistan and they were being quoted in the country’s media, and dubbed it as a misinformation campaign.

Attacking Rahul Gandhi over the Rafale deal, she said that during 10 years of UPA rule, not even a single aircraft was added to the Air Force and during Modi’s tenure, a due process was followed and all the details were given to the Supreme Court and Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) regarding the Rafale deal. The first Rafale is landing in India in September this year. ”

“Modi has proved that the Government can work without kickbacks, commissions, middlemen, and this has perturbed them. It was out of desperation that the Congress was talking of Rafale, corruption etc., though the CAG and the Supreme Court has not found fault with it, and their allegations were falling flat,” she added.

She urged the party workers to highlight the welfare measures launched by the NDA Government and fight the misinformation campaign of the Opposition parties.