Rahul Gandhi renews attacks on PM Modi

New Delhi: Congress President Mr. Rahul Gandhi renewed his attack on Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi after the government started the request for information process to buy 100 more fighter jets. In a tweet, Mr. Gandhi alleged that the government bought the (36) Rafale fighter jets at an inflated price so that it could float a fresh tender and "favour friends". "Modi Scam Alert! $ 15 Billion fighter jet deal re-tendered. PM's friends race to tie up strategic partners. Rafale, 40,000 crore loss to exchequer was 'Sayonara' money to French, so PM could re-tender contract and favour friends," he alleged on Twitter.

Since the last couple of months the Congress has upped the ante on the procurement of fighter jets by the current NDA government. The Congress party has been alleging that the Modi government finalised the Rafale deal with the French government at a price much higher than what the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had clinched to buy 126 medium multirole combat aircraft (MMRCA). Though the Congress has been asking the centre to reveal the cost of the Rafale deal, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has declined to do so citing national security concerns. The party has also asked the defence minister about the approvals taken before ordering the first lot of 36 fighter jets.

India and France in March this year signed an agreement on "exchange and reciprocal protection of classified or protected information" when French President Emmanuel Macron was in India. Both sides also agreed to create an annual defence dialogue at the ministerial level. The agreement defines common security regulations applicable to any exchange of classified and protected information between the two countries. The Congress had also alleged that the government has brought the aircraft at thrice the price that the UPA regime had negotiated with the French company.