Ever since the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) or popularly known as the Modi government rose to power in May 2014, the opposition headed by Rahul Gandhi has always been on their toes to oppose and challenge every decision taken by the Indian Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi. Recent sources have revealed that Rahul Gandhi, the Congress chief has challenged PM Modi to speak up about the Rafale controversy.
What is the Rafale Deal?
During the Congress rule in 2012, the government headed by Manmohan Singh had finalized a deal with the French President. It was about purchasing one hundred and twenty-six Rafale fighter jets to consolidate the Indian defence system. There Sonia Gandhi and Rahul had proposed that the aircraft parts should be bought from France but assembled in India. So as to provide huge amounts of jobs to unemployed aeronautical engineers in Karnataka.
What went wrong?
When BJP won the elections in 26th may 2014, the new Prime Minister of the Indian Government reformed the deal with the French president Mr Francois Holland. According to the deal, India was going to buy thirty-six Rafale fighter jets instead of one hundred and twenty-six. And the parts will not get assemble here, rather India will purchase the complete jets in a deal of $8.7 million.
Rahul Says…
Rahul Gandhi in a recent rally in Karnataka has openly challenged the Prime Minister. He asked to drop the curtains and tell the mass as to why was it necessary to change the deal. Further, he mentioned that the prime minister is in no position to accept his challenge as he is wrong. Being the head of the opposition, Rahul has left no stones unturned to ask the prime minister. As to why did he not offer jobs to aeronautical engineers who were by far unemployed. In the same rally, Rahul Gandhi had openly criticized the presence of the business tycoon Mr Anil Ambani. Also, he criticised the absence of the finance minister during the signing of the deal with the French president earlier in 2017. He says that a private company will take an undue advantage in this deal, all because of BJP’s decision. It was during this incident that he also did not check himself in mentioning that Modi has kept HAL away from the whole deal.
Modi’s Befitting Reply –
Prime Minister Narendra Damodar Modi replied to the above allegations through a befitting reply. During the session of parliament, he said that it will fit to keep politics out of National security issues. He cancelled every allegation and gave a point by point description of how the deal went and also that no company got any favour. Also, he mentioned that the price per plane did not rise magically. But due to better equipment and technologies incorporated in it. Thus, he concluded his speech and asked the opposition not to include unjust politics in matters of national security.
Rumours also surfaced that the opposition leader hugged the prime minister after the completion of the session. And he told him that this incident was nothing personal. Prime Minister Modi is yet to pose his reply on the issue of the Karnataka rally.