Rajnath Singh: PoK "was, is, and will remain ours."

During an election rally in Sikandarpur, Ballia, Singh further said, "Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) was ours, is ours, and will remain ours." Singh was speaking in favor of BJP candidate Ravindra Kushwaha in Salempur.

Later in the day, Singh made this statement at a polling place from where he is running in Lucknow: "These elections are also to see who has raised the country's standing in the world."

On Friday, Rajnath Singh, the minister of defence, said that PoK "was, is, and will remain ours" and criticised the opposition parties for bringing up the matter of China.

Later in the day, Singh made this statement at a polling place from where he is running in Lucknow: "These elections are also to see who is improving the country's stature in the world." "India remains true to anything," he claimed, accusing the opposition parties of creating misunderstanding over the China issue. We won't allow India to suffer any losses. Discussions are continuing, and we are optimistic that a resolution will be reached."

Speaking at an election rally at Sikandarpur, Ballia, Singh further said, "Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) was ours, is ours, as well as will remain ours." Singh was endorsing BJP candidate Ravindra Kushwaha in Salempur. Singh elaborated on his remarks made at the Lucknow rally, saying, "Three years ago, I had said that we don't need to attack (anyone) in order to take PoK. The locals there will eventually desire to join India. You must have seen that such a circumstance has arisen there right now."

The defense minister said, "I would like to appeal to international human rights bodies to see the way individuals in PoK are being harassed." In Lucknow, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath went with him. Singh said that after four rounds of voting, political experts worldwide, including those in India, predict that the BJP would establish the government by securing over 400 seats. In addition, he said that a universal civil code will be implemented and attacked the Congress, Samajwadi Party, and AAP, allies in the INDIA alliance.

"We promise to put into effect a unified civil code. We don't operate in opposition to any faith. All citizens of the nation, whether they are Christians, Jews, Muslims, or Hindus, are our brothers. Since it is one of the Constitution's guiding principles for establishing policy, I am speaking about a unified civil code," he said. Singh attacked the opposition parties, recalling the Emergency era under the Congress control, and said, "You strangled democracy and are blaming us." Modi is allegedly wanting 400 seats in the Lok Sabha so that the BJP may rewrite the Constitution. Democracy cannot be ended by anybody.

"I want to tell political parties that politics shouldn't be attempted just to form a government but to build a nation," he said in Lucknow. "I am asking because of your votes not just to become an MP but because we want to build the nation as well as raise its stature in the world." The Samajwadi Party and the Congress, according to the defense minister, are accusing the BJP of everything that comes to mind. "The bicycle’s (the Samajwadi Party election symbol) chain has come off," he said. He also said that the great old party would become extinct and likened the Congress to dinosaurs.

"The Congress is in such bad shape that in ten years, people will wonder, 'Who is the Congress?, if you say Congress.'" The Congress would vanish from India in the same way that dinosaurs vanished off the face of the planet, Singh said. In addition, he criticized Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly attacking party MP Swati Maliwal at his home.

"I have done whatever was possible for the development of Lucknow and I also can say that Lucknow has entered the world's top 10 cities in terms of development," Singh said in reference to the city's progress. Adityanath said that during the ten years under Modi, the country has been safeguarded and cited the building of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. He cited acts of violence committed by the opposition under past administrations and denounced their "politics of appeasement."

"I want to warn you about the people of the INDI partnership as they have set their eyes on your property," warned the chief minister. Additionally, Singh and Adityanath urged voters to support OP Srivastav, the BJP's nominee for the Lucknow East assembly bypoll. Following the passing of the current MLA, Ashutosh Tandon, the seat fell vacant. On May 20, there will be elections in Lucknow. On June 1, Salempur will participate in the final round of elections.