Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the controversy around the Rafale fighter jet deal will sink the Narendra Modi government, PTI reported on Monday. He said Modi’s popularity graph has come down, and claimed that Modi’s recent public speeches have shown that the Congress “does not even need to campaign for the elections”.
The Assembly elections in Rajasthan will be held on December 7 and the votes will be counted on December 11.
“The Rafale deal will sink the Modi government,” Gehlot told reporters at a press conference. He said the Rafale jet tender was “snatched away” from the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government in 2012 had put out a tender for 126 fighter jets and, because of a lower bid offer, had planned to buy 18 Rafales in fly-away condition from Dassault, with the remaining to be built in India along with the HAL. However, the deal did not work out. The Modi-led government subsequently signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in 2016 to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets, at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore. Soon after, Anil Ambani’s Reliance entered the deal as an offset partner for the jet’s manufacturer Dassault Aviation.
“When we visited the HAL office, we saw tears rolling down from employees. Former employees too said that this was an insult to HAL,” he said.
The All India Congress Committee general secretary said Modi had not fulfilled promises despite his party getting a huge mandate in the 2014 General Elections. “Inflation increased, rupee devalued and his promises fell flat,” he added.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!