Under PM Modi, China was 'forced' to buckle down: Anurag Thakur

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday asserted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has strengthened its defence sector and even forced China to buckle down.Addressing women entrepreneurs at a Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha event, the Union Minister of State for Finance also claimed that the Congress did not do much for the defence sector during its 10-year rule.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday asserted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has strengthened its defence sector and even ''forced'' China to buckle down.

Addressing women entrepreneurs at a Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha event, the Union Minister of State for Finance also claimed that the Congress did not do much for the defence sector during its 10-year rule. ''The Congress says what has been done for the defence sector. They (Congress) could not buy a single bulletproof jacket in their 10-year rule while the Modi government provided 2 lakh jackets to the soldiers. They could not buy a fighter jet while we provided 36 Rafale jets.

''That China was forced to buckle down and India showed its might, it happened under Modi's leadership. Modi Hai to Mumkin Hai (everything is possible as Modi is there),'' Thakur said.

This is power and the strong leadership that enhances pride and prestige of the country, he said.

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry even as the two sides continued military and diplomatic talks.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced in Parliament on Thursday that India and China have reached an agreement on disengagement in the North and South banks of Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh that mandates both sides to ''cease'' forward deployment of troops in a ''phased, coordinated and verifiable'' manner.

Thakur said in this year's Budget, an increase of more than 18.8 per cent has been done for purchases like fighter jets, tanks and ammunition.

Referring to the new farm laws, the minister alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been ''spreading lies''.

''I asked Congress MPs in the Parliament to name the provisions in the new law that scraps Mandis or MSP but they failed to do so. I have blasted Rahul Gandhi's lies in a manner that he will not forget in his entire life,'' Thakur claimed.

Rahul Gandhi has been attacking the government over the new farm laws, border stand-off with China among other issues.

A Congress MP in Rajya Sabha submitted that there was no clause in the new laws that scrapped Mandis, he claimed further.

''On one hand a Congress MP (Rahul Gandhi), who is the former Congress president, says Mandis will be scrapped and on the other hand another MP of Congress says it will not. Congress is moving in two directions. If things remains like this, the Congress will split while moving in two streams.'' Thakur claimed that Rahul Gandhi ''cannot tell the difference between wheat and barley'' like his father Rajiv Gandhi also was unable to the ''differentiate between red and green chilies.'' ''What should I ask from such a leader. They come and tell lies,'' he said.

Terming Gandhi as a ''novice'' in politics, Thakur claimed that he brought down Congress's strength from 400 seats in Lok Sabha to 40, claiming that was an outcome of ''dynasty politics''.

The minister asserted that the Budget was aimed at turning India into an economic and manufacturing powerhouse and it served the interests of all sections of the society including women.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)