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SC ruling on Rafale deal has exposed Congress lies: Suresh Prabhu

Union minister Suresh Prabhu said the people want to know why there was no government-to-government deal during the UPA tenure. The Congress kept matters related to defence pending and compromised on the security of the country.

Published on: Dec 19, 2018, 14:13:58 IST
Hindustan Times, Jaipur | By
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Union commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu said on Tuesday that the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Rafale fighter jet deal has exposed the lies being peddled by the Congress. Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Jaipur, Prabhu said the Congress has insulted the people of the country and the army by lying on the Rafael issue.

Union minister Suresh Prabhu addresses a press conference at BJP office in Jaipur, December 18, 2018. (HT Photo)
Union minister Suresh Prabhu addresses a press conference at BJP office in Jaipur, December 18, 2018. (HT Photo)

After the SC verdict, the BJP has launched a nationwide attack on the Congress in a bid to expose “its lies” on Rafale.

“We are ready to discuss the issue in parliament but Congress is running away from a debate. If there is a debate in parliament, then the entire country will know how the Congress has misled the people by its lies,” said Prabhu.

Prabhu said the people want to know why there was no government-to-government deal during the UPA tenure. The Congress kept matters related to defence pending and compromised on the security of the country.

He said the Congress has raised questions on the decision-making process, the pricing of the aircraft and offset partner. But the Supreme Court has given its ruling on the three issues and held Congress allegations baseless; the apex court said there is no need for a probe into the Rafale deal.

Denying that the government had misled the Supreme Court, Prabhu said it had sought to correct a typo in the court ruling. “The government is well within its rights to get a correction done. It has not given any false statement in the court.”

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Despite the BJP losing assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Prahbu said the BJP would win the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in all three states. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains the most popular leader in the country.

“People think differently on the assembly and Lok Sabha elections. They vote on different issues. In Lok Sabha polls people will vote on the basis of the work done by the government of prime minister Narendra Modi in the last five years for all sections of the society. Prime minister Narendra Modi will once again be PM in 2019.”

Congress spokesperson Archana Sharma said the BJP had made a false submission and tried to mislead the Supreme Court. “They made a false submission on the CAG report being placed before the Public Accounts Committee. They erred and are now trying to cover up,” Sharma said.

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