The BJP on Friday dismissed the fresh attack made by the Congress on the Narendra Modi government over the Rafale fighter jet deal, saying all allegations were answered in Parliament by the Ministers concerned and through a French government statement. These allegations were being repeated out of “frustration,” it said.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi took potshots at the Congress over its attempt to build an alliance against the ruling NDA, saying party chief Rahul Gandhi first claimed to be the prime ministerial candidate and was now willing to support any candidate for the “negative agenda” of defeating Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “When the Congress realised that the projection of Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate got no support from other parties, with the exception of Deve Gowdaji [Janata Dal-Secular], it is now creating an impression of sacrificing the post to other parties,” he said, referring to reports that the Congress was willing to support any leader acceptable to the Opposition if it was in a position to form a government.
“The BJP wants a majboot [strong] government under Mr. Modi, while Opposition parties like the Mayawati-led BSP [Bahujan Samaj Party] want a ‘majboor’ [helpless] government,” he said.
Hitting out at the Congress over the Rafale deal, he said the Congress, while in power, had never allowed defence production in India so that it could strike “deals” with foreign suppliers; now, it was levelling baseless allegations after the Modi government encouraged domestic production. “Those levelling allegation should first hear defence experts and refrain from politicising such deals,” he said.