Punjab: Inflation higher when Congress governed at Centre, says Rajnath Singh

Inflation was higher whenever the Congress governed at the Centre Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday and asserted that Indias unemployment rate is the lowest among big countries reported news agency PTIHe also targeted the AAP government in Punjab saying it has turned the state into Kangla Punjab bankrupt Punjab Singh made the remarks at election rallies in Punjabs Ferozepur and Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituenciesAttacking the Congress the Union minister said the inflation rate was 2 per cent from 1947 to 1950 and it increased to 138 per cent during Nehrus time From 1964 to 1966 it was over 10 per cent During Morarji Desais government the first thing that was done was to lift restrictions on the movement of farm produce from one state to another Singh said As a result inflation which had touched 30 per cent came down to 7 per cent he claimed reported PTIFrom 1947 to 2022 if you go by the record on inflation whenever the Congress governed it increased manifold Singh said adding that when the party was voted out of power inflation came down He said the opposition is spreading falsehoods on unemployment and inflation reported PTIThey say inflation has increased during BJP rule Our prime minister has to a large extent controlled inflation the senior BJP leader said Singh addressed the rallies to garner support for the BJPs Ferozepur candidate Gurmeet Singh Sodhi and Anandpur Sahib candidate Subhash Sharma Targeting the AAP Singh said the Arvind Kejriwalled party had promised to make a Rangla Punjab vibrant Punjab but it has turned the state into Kangla Punjab reported PTIThey never do what they say he said On the other hand there is no difference between the words and deeds of the BJP We do what we promise he asserted He said the crisis of credibility in the countrys politics has been created by all these parties Singh also targeted the Congress over the misuse of Article 356 of the Constitution saying it dissolved elected governments 90 times Is this not dictatorship he asked reported PTIIn its 10 years the Modi government did not dissolve any elected government he said And they say democracy will be in danger if the BJP returns to power said Singh referring to the oppositions charge The opposition is also spreading falsehoods that if the BJP returns to power after the Lok Sabha elections it will end reservation for Scheduled Castes SCs and Other Backward Classes OBCs he said and asserted that this is never going to happenIn Ferozepur Singh also countered the oppositions criticism of the government over the issue of unemployment The unemployment rate in India is the lowest among big countries the minister asserted reported PTIIn South Africa the unemployment rate is 326 per cent 1555 per cent in Iraq 79 per cent in Brazil 76 per cent in Italy 72 per cent in France 53 per cent in China and 38 per cent in the US In India it is 32 per cent he said Yet the opposition parties spread falsehoods he said Training his guns at the AAP and Kejriwal Singh said Liquor shops were opened in every street in Delhi during Kejriwals tenureThere is goondagardi hooliganism drug trade and heroin smuggling in AAPgoverned Punjab he alleged He suggested that the AAP wants the drug trade to continue so that no one pays attention to its government Addressing a poll rally in Jalandhar on May 24 Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also hit out at the AAP saying it had promised to end the drug trade in two months but today drug dealers have been given a free licence in Punjab reported PTISingh said the first prerequisite for development is good law and order and pointed to Uttar Pradesh and other BJPgoverned states See how fast development is taking place there he said If the BJP comes to power in Punjab after the next assembly elections we will see who indulges in goondagardi he addedThe defence minister said Indias prestige around the world has increased under the Modi government When India speaks at international forums the entire world listens to what it has to say he saidOur economy reached the fifth spot from 11th and our country is poised to be among the worlds top three economies in just a few years he said Pointing to the scrapping of Article 370 passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act and a law against triple talaq Singh said the BJP does what it promisesWith inputs from PTI