“We are now the fourth space power…. India is no more weak — India has become a powerful country,” Rajnath Singh said. “We are now the fourth space power…. India is no more weak — India has become a powerful country,” Rajnath Singh said.

Taking on the Congress over its promise to remove the law on sedition if voted in, Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Friday said that a BJP-led government will instead make the law stronger — so stringent, in fact, that even the very thought of the provisions will “send shivers down the spine”.

Addressing an election meeting in Gandhidham, in Gujarat’s Kutch district, Singh also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving Indian scientists the “go-ahead” to conduct the anti-satellite missile test, and pointed out that the country had this capability since 2007.

“We are now the fourth space power…. India is no more weak — India has become a powerful country,” he said.

On the sedition law, Singh said, “They (Congress) say that if our government is formed, then we will end the sedition law. I want to ask you, if somebody tries to break India, or disturb the country’s social fabric, or openly questions the unity of the country, should such anti-nationals be pardoned?”

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He said, “Humara bas chale toh rashtradoh…iss kanoon ko samapt karne ki baat toh dur, iss kanoon ko hum aur kada banayenge, aur sakkth banayenge, taaki iss kanoon ki provisions ki yaad aate hi logo ki rooh kaanp jaaye… (if it is up to us, then leave alone ending it, we will make the sedition law even more stringent, so that even the thought of the provisions will send shivers down the spine of people).”

Delivering a talk before a gathering of prominent personalities in Bhavnagar later in the evening, Singh said, “There is space for difference of opinion in a health democracy such as India, (but) no patriot will forgive a person who tries to divide the country.”

He also said the BJP wants to create a “sense of confidence”, and not a “sense of fear”, among the minorities.

Calling Modi “pure”, the Home Minister attacked the Congress on the issue of corruption. “Today Congressmen say that the likes of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi have ran away, taking away crores of rupees, and that we (Modi government) sent them away. (But) who gave them the money,” he asked, adding that the Congress-led UPA government gave most of them loans between 2008 and 2014. “As soon as they saw that an alert chowkidar has come to power, they all fled…. That chowkidar is now being called a thief.”

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