Bhubaneswar: Defence minister Rajnath Singh said Tuesday, politics had suffered a crisis of trust in the past and stressed that modesty and credibility should always remain the cornerstone of public life.“Till some time ago, there was a perception that politicians don’t speak the truth or practise what they preach. If someone felt misled, they would say, ‘Are you doing politics with me?’ The word ‘rajneeti’ had lost credibility,” he said. But there were leaders who worked tirelessly to restore faith in politics, the minister added.Singh was speaking at a Smriti Sabha held on the first death anniversary of former Union minister Debendra Pradhan, father of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Remembering him as a “rare personality who upheld the dignity of politics.” Singh said he had witnessed Pradhan’s simplicity, humility and commitment to matching words with action during their years together. TNN