New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hit back at Arun Jaitley on the Rafale fighter jet deal, saying it is time the finance minister and prime minister “stop lying” and call for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigation for an “uncorrupted truth” to come out. He accused Jaitley of having the ability to spin “2 truths or lies” with “fake self-righteousness” and “indignation to defend the indefensible”.
“Mr Jetlie’s specialty is his ability to spin ‘2 truths’, or lies, with fake self-righteousness and indignation to defend the indefensible. It’s high time he, the RM (raksha mantri) and our PM stop lying and call a JPC to establish the full, uncorrupted truth about the Rafale Scam (sic),” Rahul tweeted.
Mr Jetlie’s speciality is his ability to spin “2 truths”, or lies, with fake self righteousness & indignation to defend the indefensible. It’s high time he, the RM & our PM stop lying and call a JPC to establish the full, uncorrupted truth about the #RafaleScam. pic.twitter.com/iQxrV5ooN5
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 23, 2018
He also tagged a media report highlighting how former French president Francois Hollande’s charges have hit the Narendra Modi government on the Rafale issue.
The Rafale controversy took a turn last week after former French president Hollande claimed that the Indian government had proposed Reliance Defence’s name as the offset partner for Dassault Aviation. In response, the French government said it was, in no manner, involved in the choice of Indian industrial partners for the Rafale deal, asserting that French firms have the full freedom to select Indian companies for the contract.
Jaitley earlier defended the prime minister on the Rafale issue, saying the French government and Dassault Aviation have categorically denied the correctness of the former president’s first statement. He said the French government has stated that the decision with regard to the offset contracts of Dassault Aviation are made by the company and not the government.
“This puts to rest the controversy that is sought to be created on the basis of a statement made by the former French president Hollande,” he said.
The Reliance Group has rejected charges against it made by the Congress and said the government was in no way involved in securing its offset contract with Dassault Aviation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft after holding talks with the then French president Hollande on 10 April, 2015, in Paris.
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