Congress, Nehru broke India, PM Modi will reclaim PoK: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Shivraj Singh Chouhan. File pic

Senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday accused the Congress and India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru of "breaking the country" and asserted that PM Narendra Modi "will bring the nation together", reported news agency PTI.

At a poll meeting in South Delhi in support of BJP candidate Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister exuded confidence that if elected for a third time, PM Modi will take back Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK). Likening Modi to God's messenger, Chouhan said, "He is sent by God to end evil in the country. Under his guidance, the country has prospered and is poised to become a world leader," reported PTI.

"The Congress and Nehru, on the other hand, committed the sin of breaking the country. If (ex-PM) Nehru hadn't stopped the war (of 1947) and allowed it to continue for three more days, the entire Kashmir would have been a part of India today. There wouldn't have been any POK," he said. The BJP leader asserted that Modi will reclaim PoK if voted to power again. He vowed to uphold the "pride of Mother India and the people of Delhi" and exuded confidence that the BJP would win all seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital. Chouhan accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of "cheating" people who helped him build the Aam Aadmi Party, reported PTI.

"He (Kejriwal) cheated so many people and sidelined them. From Anna Hazare and Prashant Bhushan to Kumar Vishwas, he betrayed all of them. Swati Maliwal just got added to this list," he claimed. Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar was arrested on Saturday for allegedly assaulting AAP MP Swati Maliwal at the chief minister's residence. The AAP has claimed that Maliwal was "blackmailed" by the BJP to become part of the "conspiracy" against the chief minister since she was facing charges in an illegal recruitment case. Taking a swipe at the opposition INDIA bloc, Chouhan termed it an "alliance of compulsion", reported PTI.

"These people cannot run the country properly. They have not even revealed the name of their prime ministerial candidate. Only PM Modi can run the country effectively and take it to newer heights," he added. Identifying himself as the "mama" of India's daughters and sisters, Chouhan said the BJP government has introduced various schemes to empower women and said that he would soon be joining Parliament. Chouhan also addressed poll meetings in Northwest Delhi's Rohini and Northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura areas.

(With inputs from PTI)