Rafale row explodes: Rahul Gandhi playing in hands of India's enemies - BJP hits back at Congress

Sep 22 (AZINS) Moments after the defence ministry issued clarification on the Rafale row, Union Law Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi on the fighter jet deal controversy.

Addressing media in New Delhi, Prasad angrily hit back at Gandhi for ‘playing into the hands of Pakistan.’

Prasad said that the Congress chief was ‘ill-informed’ and it was important to expose the Gandhi’s lies.

Prasad questioned why Gandhi is forcing the government in divulging the details and other specifications of the fighter jet deal. He said that this would alert India’s enemies.

He also alleged that ‘there was pressure for extraneous considerations for not finalising Rafale deal during UPA rule.’ He said Reliance and Dassault had entered into agreement as early as 2012 when UPA was in power.

Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Saturday advised Congress president Rahul Gandhi not to make allegations against the government on the Rafale issue without proof.

Singh said the verification of the French media report, which quoted former French President Francois Hollande on the purchase of the Rafale fighter jets, will reveal the truth.

Hollande was quoted in a French media report as purportedly saying that the Indian government proposed Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence as the partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet fighter deal and France did not have a choice.

"The government has issued a statement on the issue. Let the verification of the report take place. It will clear the situation, it will reveal the truth," Singh told reporters here.

Meanwhile, the French government has said it was in no manner involved in the choice of Indian industrial partners for the multi-billion dollar Rafale fighter jet deal as former French president Francois Hollande's reported comments that New Delhi proposed Reliance Defence as the Indian partner for the contract escalated the political row over it.