Lucknow, Oct. 16 -- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, asserting that India's democratic institutions "cannot be sacrificed at the altar of political self-interest" and categorising the party's current offensive against constitutional bodies as its "fourth unforgivable crime."

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Singh chronicled what he described as the "dark chapters" of the Congress party, listing four major historical transgressions committed under Congress governance.

"I believe that under the protection and governance of the Congress, three of the biggest unforgivable crimes have been committed: Their first unforgivable crime was the Emergency imposed by Indira-ji in 1975. The...