Kochi: Rahul Gandhi who has been targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Rafale deal, on Tuesday stated, “Friends, the ex-defence minister Mr Parrikar clearly stated that he has nothing to do with the new deal that was orchestrated by Mr Narendra Modi to benefit Anil Ambani.”
The Congress President made this remark while speaking at a booth-level party workers meeting in Kerala.
His statement came hours after he met the former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is suffering from a pancreatic ailment, at the assembly complex in Panaji. He said Parrikar had clearly stated that he has nothing to do with the new deal.
Gandhi had earlier alleged that the Goa audio tapes were authentic and that Parrikar was in possession of secrets that would expose Narendra Modi.
Gandhi further hit out at Modi and said the Prime Minister had taken Rs 30,000 crore of people’s money and had given it to Anil Ambani. “Why was a plane that costs Rs 526 crore bought at a price of Rs 1,600 crore? he asked. The youngsters of the country, the youngsters of Kerala – they get only one answer. And the answer is that the Prime Minister of India is corrupt,” he alleged.
The Centre government has, however, vehemently denied all the charges and has accused the Congress of spreading ‘falsehood’ on the issue.
Once again, taking a dig at the removal of the CBI chief, he said Modi had did it to protect himself and to ensure that no enquiry is carried out against him in the Rafale deal.
Gandhi questioned the gathering as to why did the ex-president of France told the press that he was asked by Modi to give the Rafale contract to Mr Anil Ambani, who didn’t have any experience in building an aircraft. The contract was snatched away from Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL), who had been building the aircraft for 70 years. He further blamed that thousands of youngsters have lost the opportunity of gaining high-paid jobs in HAL.