Rahul Gandhi raises Rafale heat, says Modi stole Rs 30,000 crore

New Delhi: The Rafale controversy continued unabated with Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday demanding answers to questions raised by a media report that the PMO conducted parallel negotiations on the Rafale deal, saying it is now “crystal clear” that the “watchman” is the “thief” as he ramped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Making it clear that he has no problem if the government pushes probe agencies to investigate his brother-in-law Robert Vadra or senior party leader P. Chidambaram as long as it also answers questions on the contentious defence deal.

“It is an open and shut case,” Mr Gandhi declared citing the report which claimed that the ministry of defence (MoD) raised strong objections to “parallel discussions” conducted by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) during the negotiations over the Rs 59,000 crore Rafale fighter jet deal between India and France.

The Congress president brought in his brother-in-law Robert Vadra and senior leader P.  Chidambaram to make his point. “Whatever inquiry you want to do, you do it. You implement the law. Robert Vadra, P. Chidambaram — you implement the law on everyone. No problem. But you also give answers on the Rafale matter.”

At a press conference here, Mr Gandhi responded to charges made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the Congress did not want the Indian Air Force (IAF) to be strong.

He said he wanted to address every member of the armed forces. “It is absolutely clear that the Prime Minister has stolen Rs 30,000 crore of your money, bypassed a process, and given it to his friend Mr Anil Ambani.”

Mr Gandhi also reiterated his demand for a joint parliamentary committee to probe the Rafale deal.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said, “I have great respect for the august office of the PMO. But, I would regretfully say, the PMO almost behaved like a middleman in
this defence transaction. They must answer to our direct charge.”

Both the government as well as Mr Ambani have strongly denied any wrongdoing in the fighter jet agreement with France.

The BJP reacted furiously to Mr Gandhi’s allegations. Party spokesman G.V.L. Naramimha Rao used the “chor” barb to allege that Mr Gandhi was making wild allegations due to questioning of his brother-in-law Robert Vadra by the ED in a money laundering case.

“ Rattled by  ‘On bail’ Tax Chor Rahul Gandhi with more lies! Routine notings are sensationalized in ‘friendly’ media & silly chor Congress makes a big deal! This was an emergency procurement & a Govt2Govt deal. PMO & the CCS have final accountability & authority,” he tweeted.

A number of Union ministers from the BJP hit out at Mr Gandhi after his fresh attack on the Prime Minister. “The lie-manufacturing factory of Rahul Gandhi continues to operate and he has served us yet another lie. We absolutely reject his allegations,” Union minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters.

He demanded that Mr Gandhi should tell them as to which aircraft company’s officials he had met during his recent visit to Europe.

“Rahul Gandhi and the Congress are working to get the Rafale deal scrapped. They are playing in the hands of foreign forces and companies with vested interest,” Mr Javadekar alleged.

Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Congress is doing a “hit job” for those conspiring against the national interest and accused Mr Gandhi of levelling baseless allegations to spread confusion over the issue.

Taking a dig at the Gandhi family, he described it as a “scared, defaulter dynasty” and alleged the Congress president’s baseless charges are aimed at diverting people’s attention from probe into corruption cases against his family members.