Rajnath Singh said Rahul Gandhi’s “vote chori” allegations were baseless and advised him to approach the Election Commission with proof.
He accused Congress of divisive politics and cautioned against politicising the defence forces.
Lauding Operation Sindoor, Singh said India does not provoke anyone but will not spare those who provoke it.
On Saturday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's accusation of "vote chori" "baseless" and advised him to file a complaint with proof with the Election Commission.
Speaking at two election rallies in the Rohtas district, Singh claimed that Gandhi was making these accusations because the Congress was dealing with a lack of problems.
"If Rahul Gandhi thinks that votes are being stolen in Bihar, he should file a complaint with the EC. He is not doing that; he is simply levelling baseless allegations against a constitutional body. He is simply lying," he alleged.
Singh claimed that the Congress's belief in "divisive politics" causes divisions among the populace based on caste, creed, and religion.
"Rahul Gandhi is raising the issue of reservation in the defence forces. Our defence forces are above all these. He should not drag them into politics," he said.
"BJP supports reservations. We have given reservations to the poor and other eligible sections of the society," he added.
Hailing the armed forces for their success in Operation Sindoor, Singh said it has been "halted and not stopped".
"If terrorists attempt to attack India again, we will retaliate strongly. India does not provoke anyone, but if anyone provokes us, we will not spare them," he said.
"India is no longer a weak country. We are now known as a powerful country in the world," he added.
With PTI inputs.
