No scrapping of Rafale deal: FM IT IS TIME FOR PM TO STOP LYING, SAYS RAHUL

New Delhi, Sept. 23: Ruling out scrapping of the Rafale jet deal, finance minister Arun Jaitley Sunday said former French President Francois Hollande contradicted himself and neither the Indian nor the French government played any role in selection of Reliance as offset partner by Dassault.

Jaitley, in a television interview, said there appears to be some jugalbandi (connection) between the statements of Hollande and Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

“Though I do not have any proof of this jugalbandi, but this creates suspicion in mindThere is definitely something ... a statement comes (from Hollande), then it is contradicted. But he (Rahul) predicted this to happen in advance,” he said.

Jaitley added that there is no question of scrapping the Rafale jet fighter deal as it is meant to meet the needs of the country. New Delhi, Sept. 23: Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit back at Arun Jaitley on the Rafale issue, saying it is time the finance minister and the prime minister “stop lying” and call for a probe for an “uncorrupted truth” to come out. He accused Jaitley of having the ability to spin “2 truths or lies” with “fake self-righteousness”

“Mr Jetlie’s speciality 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 and our PM stop lying and call a JPC to establish the full, uncorrupted truth about the Rafale Scam (sic),” Rahul tweeted. — PTI