Rafale, Nirav Modi only reasons for parliament impasse: Rahul Gandhi

The discussion over the issues surrounding Rafale deal and Punjab National Bank fraud are, according to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, only reasons why parliament isn't being disrupted.

"We want a discussion to happen on Nirav Modi and Rafale deal. But the government doesn't want that to happen. That is causing disruptions in the parliament," Gandhi said. He also alleged that "Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi" are very close to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Both Houses of Parliament were, on Friday, adjourned sine die, with unabated protests virtually washing out a tumultuous Budget Session that saw a total of nearly 250 working hours wasted.

Merely five of 19 starred questions were replied to orally by Ministers in the Rajya Sabha, while 17 of the 580 such questions were answered in the Lok Sabha during the 29 sittings.

Earlier on Friday, blaming the Congress for Parliamentary disruptions, Union Minister Ananth Kumar has said ruling BJP MPs will sit on day-long fasts in their respective constituencies on April 12 to protest the washout of the second half of the budget session.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader said it was for the first time that MPs of any party have foregone their salaries along with allowances because the two houses did not function.

Recently elected as Congress President, Gandhi has been launching a scathing attack on PM Modi, for what he alleges is close proximity with Choksi and Nirav Modi -- diamond merchants embroiled in Rs 11,400 crore PNB fraud. Gandhi had earlier referred to Nirav Modi as 'Chota Modi', allegedly taking a potshot at same surname shared by Prime Minister and the Gujarati businessman.

Gandhi, along with many other opposition parties, has also been attacking the government over the Rafale fighter jet deal, in which they have been alleging a scam.

Congress President Gandhi on Saturday, as well, attacked Prime Minister Modi over an alleged scam in the Rafale fighter aircraft deal with France. Issuing a "Modi Scam Alert!" Gandhi tweeted, "$15 billion fighter jet deal re-tendered. Prime Minister's friend's race to tie up strategic partners. "RAFALE, (Rs) 40,000 crore loss to the exchequer was "Sayonara" (bye bye in Japenese) money to French, so Prime Minister could re-tender contract and favour friends.(sic.)"