BJP holds countrywide protests against Oppn over Rafale attack

Two days after the Supreme Court rejected pleas for review of its December 2018 verdict in the Rafale deal case, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday held nationwide protests, demanding apologies from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

In the national capital, led by BJP’s state chief Manoj Tiwari, the party workers raised slogans against the AAP and demanded an apology from it for trying to “malign the image” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It said in a statement it organised the protests against the “malicious and baseless allegations” of corruption levelled in the Rafale deal.

In February, Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had demanded that an “independent” CBI raid the PMO, seize files and make arrests in connection with the controversial deal.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar demanded that both Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi must apologise for the remarks.

Reacting to it, Kejriwal tweeted: “Sir, this is not a time to do politics but to remove pollution together. All governments should work together to provide relief to people from the pollution...”

In Kolkata and Mumbai, too, the BJP units staged demonstrations outside the offices Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress, demanding an “apology” from Rahul Gandhi for spreading “lies” on the Rafale issue that was rejected by the Supreme Court.

Other states that witnessed protests are Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Kerala.

The Congress, meanwhile, held a counter-protest in Kolkata, alleging that the countrywide demonstrations were undemocratic. A scuffle also broke out between police and protesters as they moved closer to BJP office.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court dismissed a clutch of petitions seeking review of its December 2018 order upholding the validity of purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France.

However, a separate and concurring verdict by Justice K M Joseph said the judgment “would not stand in the way” of the CBI from taking action on the complaint for lodging of an FIR.