Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh on Tuesday defended his party's prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, over the allegations of snooping on a young woman by the police of Gujarat.
Women Congress leaders had criticised Modi over the weekend after an expose revealed that he had used the state's anti-terror squad to snoop on a young woman.
Defending Modi at a news conference in Jabalpur, Singh said: "The girl's father has written a letter in this context (snooping row). It is all clear. I feel that a father is always more concerned for his daughter. Therefore, I feel that no question should be raised over the issue."
In an alleged taped conversation between former Gujarat home minister Amit Shah and Gujarat IPS officer G L Singhal, aired by news portals Cobrapost and Gulail, Shah was instructing Singhal to closely monitor the movements of the woman referred to in the report as "Madhuri", which is not her real name.
Shah, who is currently heading the BJP's election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, was alleged of misusing his powers and police machinery for illegal surveillance of a young woman in August 2009 at the behest of his "saheb."
Commenting over the issue related to the Bharat Ratna being conferred upon former prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Singh said: "As far as the question of Bharat Ratna is concerned, I would like to say that there is no reason to make a political issue over it. As far as the question related to Atal Bihari Vajpayee is concerned, you all know that he is not only a unifying leader of India, but also, has a unifying image internationally."
After the government honoured cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and scientist C.N.R Rao with the highest civilian award, the BJP criticised the ruling Congress party for not bestowing the same honour upon Vajpayee.
During the conference, Singh also urged politicians to consider 'Naxalism' as a national threat.
"Naxalism is not a state problem and it is not an issue related only to the law and order situation of the province. It is a national issue and it should be seen in this light only," Singh said.
Maoist rebels in India are rapidly expanding their insurgency and could move from remote rural areas to cities. Equipped with automatic weapons, shoulder rocket launchers, mines and explosives, the Maoists want to cripple economic activity.
The Maoists claim they are fighting for the rights of the poor and landless, control some of India's mineral-rich areas and operate in large swathes of the eastern, central and southern countryside.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the Maoist rebellion as one of the gravest internal security challenges facing India.
