PM Modi changes the Rafale deal terms for Anil Ambani says Rahul Gandhi

Congress head Rahul Gandhi during a speech.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Monday claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi changed terms of the Rafale deal to benefit industrialist Anil Ambani to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore.

Gandhi's fresh attack on Modi came on a day when the Supreme Court said certain remarks made by the Congress chief on the Rafale case verdict were "incorrectly attributed" to it.

At a poll rally here, Gandhi also said he got the idea of 'Nyay' scheme from Modis "fake promise" ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls to deposit Rs 15 lakh in every citizen's bank
account.

Hard selling his party's manifesto pledge of providing Rs 72,000 a year to each of the poorest five crore families, he said money for the 'Nyay' scheme will come from the pockets
of people like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

Speaking at the rally in the home state of Modi, Gandhi once again alleged corruption in the Rafale deal. Mahuva, which is in Bhavnagar district, comes under the Amerli Lok Sabha constituency. "Under the UPA deal, the fighter aircraft was to be made by HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd). We were to procure 126 fighter jets (from France).

"But Narendra Modi changed the deal. He said 36 fighter jets will be made in France and purchased by us and he gave Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani, who had no prior experience of making fighter jets," Gandhi said.

The Congress chief said the Modi government is buying Rafale jets from French firm Dassault at an inflated price. "He (Anil Ambani) has never made an aircraft, but you give this big deal to him, why? Just because he is your
friend.

"The (former) President of France told me that when Narendra Modi visited that country, he told them we will purchase one Rafale fighter jet for Rs 1,600 crore instead of
Rs 526 crore and from that give Rs 30,000 crore to Anil
Ambani," Gandhi said.

"The case is going on in the Supreme Court... (and), when the CBI says they will investigate, the agency's director is removed at midnight. 'The Hindu' newspaper said Narendra Modi continued
parallel negotiations with the French company and French government," he said.

Continuing his attack on Modi, Gandhi said the PM is the 'chowkidar' (watchman) of the rich, not the poor. "He told common people don't make me prime minister, but make me chowkidar.
"Tell me one thing - is chowkidar present in front of the house of farmers and labourers? He is not your chowkidar but that of (businessmen like) Adani and Ambani.

"His work is to snatch your water, electricity and land and give it to these 15-20 industrialists," he said. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court made it clear that remarks made by Rahul Gandhi on the Rafale case verdict were "incorrectly attributed" to the apex court and directed the Congress President to give his explanation by April 22.

Gandhi said the middle class will not be burdened with more taxes to fund 'Nyay', the minimum income scheme for the poor. "Narendra Modi promised Rs 15 lakh to all though it was a false promise... from it an idea came to me. I called my think-tank and asked them what is the amount of money that we can transfer to the peoples account directly.

"They told me we can give Rs 72,000 per year," he said. "Modi made a false promise of Rs 15 lakh, but I am giving you a real promise that in the next five years Rs 3.60 lakh crore will be given to 20 per cent poor people of the country if the Congress comes to power," Gandhi said.

"People are asking from where this money will come... it will not come from common people, we will not raise income tax for it, but it will come from industrialists like Mallya, Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi," he said.

The three industrialists, presently abroad, are wanted in India for fraud and money laundering.
If the Congress comes to power after the Lok Sabha polls, its government will present two budgets - one for the entire country and the other exclusively for farmers, Gandhi
said.

Gujarat, which has 26 Lok Sabha seats, will vote in a
single phase on April 23.

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