NDA commitment, not compulsion: Rajnath Singh

Amid strains in ties between BJP and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, defence minister Rajnath Singh has said NDA was a commitment, not compulsion, for BJP. Singh said BJP valued its partners. Singh, a former BJP president, was addressing a public meeting at Tambaram on Tuesday to commemorate nine years of the Narendra Modi government. Singh's remarks assume significance as there is buzz about rapprochement between BJP and its erstwhile allies.

Singh lashed out at Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin for his 'duplicity of character' on the issue of Enforcement Directorate arresting his Cabinet colleague V Senthil Balaji. However, he dubbed the state police's arrest of BJP state secretary SG Suryah last week as unconstitutional. Singh claimed Stalin was 'killing the very spirit of democracy.'

Singh listed various initiatives of the Modi government for welfare of Tamils in the state and neighbouring Sri Lanka. He asserted that the installation of 'Sengol' in the new Parliament building reflected Tamil Nadu's contribution to the nation.