Congress heightens attack over Rafale plane deal, moves CVC

new delhi — Mounting a multipronged attack on the BJP government, the Congress on Monday moved the CVC seeking a FIR and seizure of documents pertaining to the Rafale deal while its president Rahul Gandhi called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “thief ”.

On a day when a Congress delegation petitioned Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) K.V. Chowdary seeking a probe into the “corruption” in the deal, Rahul, in his Lok Sabha constituency Amethi, launched a virulent attack on Modi saying the country’s “chowkidar” (watchman) had committed “chori” (theft).

“I raised it (Rafale issue) in parliament and Modi could not make eye-to-eye contact. Why did you purchase the fighter jets at three times the price?

“The country’s watchman indulged in theft,” said Rahul, adding the “watchman” took out Rs300 billion from the pockets of soldiers and martyrs and gave it to an industrialist.

“Modi can speak about everything but not Rafale. He does not have the guts,” he said, questioning Modi’s persisted silence on the issue despite repeated charges against him.

Rahul also posted a video on twitter highlighting French former president Francois Hollande’s revelation to a French website that a private firm became a partner of Dassault Aviation at the suggestion of the Indian government.

Earlier, a Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Congress delegation met the CVC seeking for a probe into the Rafale deal, saying Modi had escalated its price of about 300 per cent and in violation of the Defence Procurement Policy (DPP).

It urged the CVC to take cognizance and register a FIR and seize all the relevant documents “before they were destroyed”.

The party also quoted revelations by Hollande, saying he has “exposed the web of corruption”.

“The stench of corruption and cronyism in the Rafale deal is nauseating, requiring urgent intervention,” the party said and endorsed former Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) chief T.S. Raju’s call for making public the files relating to HAL’s work-share contract with Dassault.

The Congress also targeted Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying their insistence on non-disclosure of purchase price of the jets “reeks of a huge scam”.

Modi can speak about everything but not Rafale. He does not have the guts

Rahul Gandhi, Congress president