Rafale deal

Coming down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said he has “failed” to fulfil the promises made during the last five years.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said the UPA would give complete farm loan waiver and conduct a detailed probe into the Rafale fighter jet deal if it forms the next government after the April-May Lok Sabha polls.

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi on Friday moved the Supreme Court seeking contempt action against Congress president Rahul Gandhi for allegedly attributing his remarks on the recent Rafale verdict to the apex court.

The Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led Central government of “misleading” the Supreme Court over Rafale fighter jets deal and said “after the party returns to power on May 23”

The Supreme Court on Wednesday may have unwittingly provided the kind of opening the Opposition was desperately waiting for. By agreeing to relook at its own December order in the Rafale deal.

Launching a direct attack on Modi, the Congress leader said the Supreme Court order had made it clear that the watchman (Modi) allowed the theft to happen.

The Congress claimed that the Rafale deal was the “biggest scam” that the country has ever seen and accused the Narendra Modi government of giving “exemptions” to two French companies in selecting offset partners.

Claiming that the then defence minister Manohar Parrikar knew there was corruption in Rafale deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday said the deal would be probed if his party comes to power at the Centre.

The book on the Rafale deal, copies of which were seized by an election commission squad in Chennai before being finally allowed to be released, has flown off the shelves.

The Congress on Tuesday promised that if the party is voted to power it will probe the controversial defence deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets signed by the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Dassault Aviation