New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the central government has no intention to run the Delhi government through anyone and was committed to upholding its constitutional duty as he outlined the Narendra Modi government’s achievements in the past one year.
Addressing a press conference here on the government completing one year in office, Rajnath Singh did not make any direct reference to the tussle with the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi on powers of Lt. Governor.
“We have no intentions to run the Delhi government through anyone. Let them (the AAP) run the government,” he said answering a query whether the central government wants to run the Delhi government through the lt. governor.
The home ministry had issued a notification earlier this month which gave the lt. governor the final say in transfers and posting of senior bureaucrats in Delhi.
Asked to comment on Delhi assembly’s resolution holding the notification as “illegal”, Rajnath Singh said he would not like to say anything and added that the government was committed to uphold the constitution.
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has said the Narendra Modi government was trying to push the country towards dictatorship.
The union minister said: “I don’t want to say who is doing what but we are committed to uphold the constitution. Law and order is also my duty.”
On the demand for Delhi getting full statehood, the minister said the issue was not being discussed at present.
Rajnath Singh also distanced himself from comments of Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi that those who want to eat beef should go to Pakistan. “No, there is no problem. All Indians should remain in India.”
He said the country was in “despair and gloom” during the past 10 years of the UPA rule but it has been changed to hope within one year of the NDA assumed power. He said the past year had been one of consolidation.
On issues of construction of Ram Mandir and abrogating Article 370 of the constitution, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said they were important.
“The government will not go back on promises it made ahead of the general elections last year,” he said.
Rajnath Singh also took a dig at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for his long “leave of absence” and his comments on Thursday that Modi took classes from former prime minister Manmohan Singh during their meeting on Wednesday.
“Manmohan Singh was ‘arthshastri’ (economist) but our Modi is ‘yathartshastri’ (practical),” he said, adding that ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan-dhan Yojna’ had ensured financial inclusion.
He said Manmohan Singh was an economist but could not curb price rise.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelling abroad and meeting various world leaders has made a lot of positive change for India,” he said.
“Our economy would start moving faster than China’s soon as our government addresses all issues with total transparency,” he added.
To a question on bringing back underworld don Dawood Ibrahim from Pakistan, the minister said Interpol had issued red corner notice against him and many others and the process was on to get hold of the anti-India elements living abroad.
“Whether Dawood Ibrahim, Masood Azhar or Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, red corner notices have been issued them and India is doing its best to bring them to justice,” the union home minister said.
Rajnath Singh also said during the past one year, the central government has cleared 40 defence related proposals. “It’s has been done with full transparency,” he said.
Talking about work of his own ministry, Rajnath Singh said internal security was sound and the threat from terrorism and Maoist violence was being dealt firmly.
On centre-state relations, the minister said the central government was not in conflict with any of the state governments.
Answering a query, he said there will be “no compromise” with people involved in waving Pakistani flags in any part of India, including Jammu and Kashmir.
“This (incidents of waving of Pakistani flags) happened earlier also (during other governments regime) but it would not be tolerated,” he said.
He said a demand for a special package to Andhra Pradesh was being considered.
Referring to actions concerning some international NGOs working in India, he said it was done within the parameters of the law.
