Defence Minister’s flip-flop on Rafale deal secrecy clause, suggests of scam: Rahul Gandhi

Just days after attacking the government in the controversial Rafale jet deal with France, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of doing a “flip-flop” on the secrecy clause. He also alleged that there was “scam” in the deal.

Addressing the house during the No-confidence motion in Lok Sabha, Gandhi had criticised the NDA over the jet deal claiming that French President Emmanuel Macron had personally conveyed to him that there is no secrecy pact between India and France.

On Sunday, Gandhi once again took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the BJP chief “squirms” when asked about the prices of the fighter aircraft.

Our Defence Minister said she would, but now she won’t.

She flip flops between “it’s-not-a-secret” & “it’s-a-BIG-secret”.

The PM squirms when asked about the price of RAFALE and refuses to look me in the eye.

Sure smells like a scam. #RAFALEscam

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 22, 2018

“Our Defence Minister said she would, but now she won’t. She flip flops between “it’s-not-a-secret” & “it’s-a-BIG-secret”. The PM squirms when asked about the price of RAFALE and refuses to look me in the eye. Sure smells like a scam. #RAFALEscam (sic),” he tweeted.

Gandhi had said during his speech in the Parliament that the “Defence Minister has clearly spoken an untruth.”

Also Read: Nirmala Sitharaman lied to the nation in Rafale Deal claims Rahul Gandhi

Continuing his attack on Modi, he had said, “I can see him smiling. There is a touch of nervousness. He is looking away, not looking into my eyes.”

The truth is that Modi is not “chowkidar” (guard) but a “bhagidaar” (collaborator) in the wrong-doings,” Gandhi had said two days ago during the Parliament debate.

He had also added that, “I personally met the French president and asked him if there is such a pact between the French and Indian governments. The French president told me that there is no such pact between the French and Indian governments.

“This is the truth, and he told me that I have no objection to it (details of Rafale deal) being made public, you can tell it to entire India.”

Also Read: France confirms Rafale deal details classified, puts Rahul Gandhi on backfoot

However, hours after his claims, the French government had issued a statement, saying that a security agreement signed with India in 2008, legally binds the two countries to protect the classified information relating to operational capabilities of defence equipment.

Modi had quashed Rahul’s charges as “distortion of truth” and taking a dig at the Congress supremo he had said, “Just because of one careless allegation in the House on Rafale, both the nations had to release statements. One should not indulge in such childish behaviour.”