Rafale kickbacks report: BJP takes on Gandhis, Cong hits back

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ Seizing on a French media report that commissions were paid between 2007 and 2012 for securing the Rafale deal with India, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said the INC (Indian National Congress) should be renamed as ‘I Need Commission’ and alleged that the Congress’ dissatisfaction with the cut on offer was behind the failed negotiations when it was in power.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra launched a scathing attack on the Congress leadership, especially Rahul Gandhi who has been alleging corruption in the purchase of the fighter aircraft by the Modi government, and accused him of spreading ‘canard, disinformation and lies’. Patra also sought Rahul Gandhi’s response to the fresh revelation by French investigative journal Mediapart.

“He should respond to this from Italy,” Patra said, citing reports that the Congress leader is currently not in India. Corruption has become ‘homeless’ after the BJP came to power, and its address is 10 Janpath, he alleged, referring to the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The Congress hit back at the BJP, saying that the government has launched ‘operation cover up’ and demanded to know as to why it had not probed the entire episode so far.