'It will bring great economic devastation, crisis': Rajnath Singh on Rahul Gandhi's promised wealth redistribution

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said proposed wealth redistribution of the Congress party will bring great economic devastation and slowdown. (Photo: News 18)

The proposed wealth redistribution of the Congress party will bring great economic devastation and slowdown in the country, said Defence Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajnath Singh.

In an interview with CNN-News 18, Singh further mocked the approach as an “innovative idea” and wondered from where it came to the party.

Singh further refuted the assertions of the Opposition that the BJP wants to win 400 seats to change the Constitution. He said the party is committed to preserving the basic structure of the Constitution and there will be no changes.

The remarks of Singh come as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP have made slamming the wealth redistribution plan outlined by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi central to their platform. While releasing the party manifesto earlier this month, Rahul had said that, if the party forms government, it will first conduct a caste census and then it will redistribute the national wealth on the basis of its findings.

‘Congress party’s thinking will bring great devastation, economic crisis’

Singh said that thoughts like wealth redistribution and inheritance tax will “lead to great economic slowdown” and lead to an economic crisis.

Singh further asked that if people do not have an incentive to work hard to achieve something, then why they would work or invest all.

“Unless people don’t have the incentive to work or invest to achieve something they want, why would they work at all? This thinking [wealth redistribution] will bring great devastation and economic crisis,” said Singh in Hindi.

Singh further wondered where the Congress party got this idea as no one had floated it at the time of the Independence.

“Mahatma Gandhi never thought like this. People who fought for Independence never thought like this. The makers of the Constitution never thought like this. I don’t know how they got this so-called innovative idea,” said Singh.

‘BJP completely committed to preserving Basic Structure of Constitution’

When asked about the opposition’s assertion that the BJP wants to win 400 seats so it may alter the Constitution or remove the reservation, Singh rejected the charges and said the party is committed completely to the Basic Structure of the Constitution. fu

Singh further said that the opposition is lying and is trying to fool the public.

“The BJP is completely committed that we will not make any change in the Basic Structure of the Constitution. We have said it repeatedly. We do what we say,” said Singh.

The Basic Structure Doctrine emanates from the Supreme Court’s judgement in the landmark Kesavananda Bharati case in 1973. The verdict limits the Parliament’s ability to amend the Constitution. It says that the Parliament cannot amend anything that comprises the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution.

Singh further criticised the opposition for misleading the Muslim community on the issue of Muslim reservations. He flagged that the opposition talks of the constitution but also talks religion-based reservation which is not mentioned there.

He said, “Religion-based reservation is not there in the Constitution. How will you give it? You are talking about the Constitution and you are also misleading the Muslim community by promising reservation on the basis of religion. How is this possible? How will you give it?”