Congress president Rahul Gandhi continued his charge against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the multi-crore Dassault Rafale deal on Tuesday.
Speaking to media persons, the 48-year-old Congress chief accused the PM of favouring Anil Ambani through the deal. The selection of Ambani’s Reliance Defence as an offset partner of Dassault has come under a cloud following former French President Francois Hollande’s claim that India didn’t give his country any other choice.
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“The PM had said I am the ‘chowkidar’ (guard) of the nation. So this chowkidar put the money of the youth and the Air Force in the pockets of Anil Ambani, who has a debt of Rs 45,000 crore on him, just like Vijay Mallya has debt,” Gandhi was quoted as saying by ANI.
Gandhi said that each time when he asked Modi about why he awarded the contract to Ambani, the PM couldn’t respond and looked away.
“The PM looked here, there, everywhere but did not look me in the eye. Why? Because Narendra Modi has stolen the country’s money and given to Anil Ambani,” the Congress chief said while making gestures.
Earlier today, Gandhi posted a tweet addressing members of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) assuring that his party, Congress, will “bring justice”.
“To every Air Force officer and Jawan who has served India. To the family of every martyred Indian fighter pilot. To every person who ever worked for HAL. We hear your pain. We understand how you feel. We will bring to justice all those who dishonoured and stole from you,” read his tweet.
On Monday, the Congress questioned the ruling government over the non-inclusion of HAL in the Rafale deal by posting a video of Dassault chief Eric Trappier in which he is heard praising the PSU during an address to officers from Indian Air Force and HAL.
The video, which was shot on 25 March 2015, shows Trappier expressing his happiness at Rafale’s selection as per the IAF’s MMRDA requirements following a stiff competition between top fighter aircraft makers from around the world.
“The choice of Rafale in 2012 was made after a demanding competition,” Trappier is heard saying.
“You can imagine my great satisfaction to hear from the IAF chief that he wants a combat proven aircraft which could be the Rafale…and on the other hand from the HAL chairman that we are in agreement for the responsibilities sharing, considering as well our conformity with the RFP [Request for Proposal] in order to be in line with the rules of this competition. I strongly believe that contract finalisation and signature would come very soon,” the Dassault chief told the gathering.
Read More: Congress presents 2015 video of Dassault chief’s comment on agreement with HAL
But the BJP alleged that the Congress and its president were part of an international conspiracy to sabotage the deal.
BJP leader and Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat alleged on Monday that Gandhi is trying to benefit his brother-in-law Robert Vadra.
The minister also claimed that Vadra had links with arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. He said the Congress-led UPA government cancelled the deal with Dassault as the French company did not accept one of Vadra’s firms as “middleman”.
Read More: ‘International conspiracy’ to sabotage Rafale deal to benefit Robert Vadra: BJP attacks Congress
“They (Vadra and Bhandari) represent themselves as middlemen at many defence expos but they have not got a big breakthrough yet. The then government wanted that the French firm should accept it (Vadra’s company) as the middleman. But since it did not materialise, the deal with Dassault was cancelled,” the minister said.