PTI
New Delhi, Nov 16: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has accused the Prime Minister of changing the “Rafale deal” to benefit a businessman and his group. The BJP immediately debunked the charges.
Rahul also asked the press why no questions were put to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on BJP president Amit Shah’s son Jay, whose company’s turnover has registered a quantum jump in turnover after the Modi government came to power.
“You ask me so many questions and I answer all of them. I want to ask you, why don’t you question Prime Minister Modi on the Rafale deal. Why don’t you ask about Amit Shah’s son? Why don’t you ask the PM who tweaked the Rafale deal to help a businessman?” he asked. He said the PM should explain the ‘Reliance’ on someone with nil experience in aerospace for the Rafale deal. “Self ‘Reliance’ is obviously a critical aspect of ‘Make in India’,” Rahul added in a series of tweets on the Reliance -Rafale deal.
Responding to Rahul, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Congress is reminded of its rule when it rakes up such an issue. “They are finding it difficult to accept that there has been no corruption case in the three-year rule of the Modi government,” Prasad said when asked about Rahul’s allegations.
The Rafale deal was the focus of debate earlier this week when the Congress accused the government of compromising national interest and security by promoting “crony capitalism” and causing a loss to the exchequer.
Congress’ communications department head Randeep Surjewala alleged that the government neglected the interests of public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). He also alleged that Dassault Aviation, the French manufacturer of Rafale aircraft, refused to transfer technology to it and instead entered into an agreement with Reliance Defence.
The BJP dismissed the allegation, claiming it was intended to “divert attention” as Congress bigwigs faced the prospect of being questioned in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scandal.
In a statement, Reliance Defence Limited dubbed the Congress’ allegations as “baseless and unfounded”. It said its subsidiary formed a joint venture, Dassault Reliance Aerospace, after a bilateral agreement between the two private companies and “the Indian government had no role to play in this”.
The company said the government policy of June 24, 2016 allows 49 per cent FDI in the defence sector under the automatic route without any prior approval.
Surjewala had also said the aircraft was being purchased at much higher rates than what was decided after the tender process under the UPA government.