Rahul Gandhi slams Narendra Modi over Rafale deal with France

The Congress had also alleged that the government has bought the aircraft at thrice the price that the UPA regime had negotiated with the French company. Pics/PTI

Congress President rahul Gandhi slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal with France, alleging that his friends raced to find strategic partners after the government "re-tendered" $15 billion fighter jet deal. Gandhi's comments were based on fresh edia reports stating that India was seeking over 100 new fighter jets in the world's largest deal.

"Modi Scam Alert! $15 Billion fighter jet deal re-tendered. PM's friends race to tie up strategic partners. Rafale, 40,000 crore loss to exchequer was 'Sayonara' money to French, so PM could re-tender contract and favour friends," he alleged on Twitter.

Gandhi had earlier launched a scathing attack on the prime minister and his government over the Rafale deal, alleging that it was a "scam" as the dispensation was not disclosing details of the deal and was neither making public the price of the aircraft.

He had also accused Modi of "helping his friends" in the defence sector get the contract without any experience after ignoring the public-sector HAL, which was to originally make the Rafale jets indigenously in transfer of technology.