Congress president Rahul Gandhi stepped up his attack on the Narendra Modi government over Rafale deal on Friday following a news report claiming that the defence ministry objected to “parallel parleys” by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) with the French authorities. Gandhi said the news report “makes it crystal clear that the Prime Minister was conducting parallel negotiations” with the French on Rafale deal.
“We have been saying this for more than a year that the prime minister is directly involved in the Rafale scam…It is absolutely black and white that the prime minister himself was carrying a parallel negotiation with the French,” Gandhi said at a press conference in New Delhi.
Congress President @RahulGandhi had a simple question for you in Parliament Modiji, you chickened out and didn’t answer, did the defence ministry oppose your Rafale deal?
Looks like we have the answer now…https://t.co/B8gj9PJNQe#PakdaGayaModi— Congress (@INCIndia) February 8, 2019
A report published by The Hindu claimed that “the French side took advantage of parallel parleys by the PMO that weakened Indian team’s position” in negotiating the Rafale deal with France.
Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly accusing him of “stealing Rs 30,000 crore…to give it his friend Anil Ambani.” He said, “It is a corporate warfare and the prime minister is representing Anil Ambani.”
“The government has told a lie to the Supreme Court…This means that the entire judgment is under question now,” he said. Gandhi has been attacking PM Modi over Rafale deal alleging “he is personally involved in corruption” in the defence deal.