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Rahul harps on Rafale deal scam in Bidar, says PM personally involved

| @indiablooms | Aug 13, 2018, at 02:38 pm

Bidar, Aug 13 (IBNS) : Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being personally involved in the alleged Rafale deal scam, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre.

Launching the 'Jana Dwani Yatra' from Bidar with around two lakh Congress workers from different Assembly segments of Bidar attending a rally, Gandhi said that while in the original agreement struck during the UPA regime the cost of a Rafale fighter jet was Rs. 526 crore, it was purchased at a price of Rs. 1,600 crore each during the NDA rule.

Gandhi said it was at the behest of Modi that industrialist Anil Ambani was given the contract for the deal, struck with France despite his company having no experience with dealing aircraft, which the Government-run HAL has.

The Congress President alleged that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman "openly lied" in Parliament by making a statement that there was a clause in the agreement which stipulated that the price of the aircraft be made secret.

"When France President Emmanuel Macron visited India, I met him and asked whether there was any secrecy condition in the deal. He said that the secrecy aspect does not cover the price of the aircraft. If the Government of India wants to disclose the price, it can tell this every person," Gandhi said.

" I told the Prime Minister about this, looking straight to his eyes. But he can't look straight. A thief can't look straight," Rahul said.

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