Rajnath Singh on Rajiv Gandhi row: I never use foul language for Prime Minister

Ahead of the ongoing controversy over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments on late former PM Rajiv Gandhi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh opened up on the row. BJP candidate from Lucknow, Singh said that he had never used language for any of India's premiers, irrespective of their political affiliations.

"I never use foul language for any Prime Minister irrespective of the political party they may belong to. Prime Minister, President are not individuals, they are institutions," Singh said at an election rally in Bihar's Rohtas.

Singh also appealed people to work towards strengthening the institutions of the President and the Prime Minister.

He said, "It is the duty of every party and citizen to strengthen these institutions because if these institutions start weakening, democracy will weaken, and if democracy is weak then no power in the world can save the country from a partition."

"I would not say that a party did nothing for the development of the country. Every party does something. It is just that their working styles are different," he further said.

Over the last week, PM Modi has been attacking Congress by dragging Rajiv Gandhi and termed him as ‘corrupt no 1’. Addressing a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh, PM Modi attacked Congress, president Rahul Gandhi saying "Your father was termed ''Mr Clean'' by his courtiers, but his life ended as ''Bhrashtachari No 1'' (corrupt no 1)." This triggered a bitter war of words between Congress and BJP.