War of words between Congress president Rahul Gandhi and the ruling party over Rafale deal does not seem to end at anytime soon. Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, you betrayed India’s soul after former French President Francois Hollande’s remarks contradicted the Indian government’s stand on the Rafale deal.
The Congress party has been targeting Narendra Modi led government over Rafale deal from a long time. Taking to microblogging site, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday tweeted, “The PM and Anil Ambani jointly carried out a One Hundred & Thirty Thousand Crore, SURGICAL STRIKE on the Indian Defence forces. Modi Ji you dishonoured the blood of our martyred soldiers. Shame on you. You betrayed India’s soul,” he tweeted.
Congress President also demanded PM Modi and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman resignation over the alleged corruption and cronyism in fighter aircraft deal. Rahul Gandhi’s allegations were strengthened on Friday evening by Hollande, who told a French media outlet that the Indian government had proposed Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence as the India partner in the Rafale fighter jet deal and not given them a choice.
“The PM personally negotiated & changed the Rafale deal behind closed doors. Thanks to François Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt Anil Ambani. The PM has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers,” Gandhi had said on Friday.
However, later, the French government issued a statement and denied the claims of not given the choice to select Indians firms for the contract. The statement also reads it was not involved in any manner in the choice of Indian industrial partners for the Rafale deal.
“The French government is in no manner involved in the choice of Indian industrial partners who have been, are being, or will be selected by French companies,” it said. Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale, also said it decided to make a partnership with the Anil Ambani firm in accordance with the policy of ‘Make in India’ and the decision was purely its own.
But the clarifications from French government has not stopped the Congress from going on the offensive, with several other leaders lambasting the Modi led BJP government, saying that the ‘truth has come out’.
Also read: Rafale deal: French President François Hollande contradicts Defence Ministry claims