We don’t see India-Russia relationship only in context of Ukraine crisis: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister says India has always maintained talks and diplomacy should be employed to establish peace

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shares his thoughts on the Assembly poll in Uttar Pradesh and the Russian attack on Ukraine and its implications for India.

This is the last phase of the poll; how do you think it’s going for the BJP?

It’s going well, and our assessment of the last five phases is that we will more or less get the same kind of support we got in the last poll in 2017. The BJP will return to government in this poll.

This is, however, a different election than 2017. Here, your party is defending its record on governance, and with the BSP not so aggressively seen, it’s perceived as a two-horse race between you and the SP, where even a little scatter in either camp’s support base will result in a big gap in seats.

No, no, in fact, first of all the BSP is very much in the fray; secondly, the BJP is getting support from across the board and all communities. In fact, if there is any party that can be termed excellent in terms of governance, it is the BJP. Our government has implemented welfare policies and ensured the law and order, safety and security of the people and we will be voted back.  

It is seen, however, that minority communities have apprehensions with regard to the BJP, so how can the slogan Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas be taken at face value? Speeches referring to Kabristan-Shamshaan etc are made.

As far as the minorities are concerned, let me make it clear we have never discriminated against anyone with regard to governance and development. All programmes and policies of the government have distributed welfare among all communities of the poor. As far as remarks etc, those may be references to acts of discrimination by other parties with regard to particular communities, to reinforce the point that there should be no discrimination at all.