Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress MP Veerappa Moily on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was hand-in-glove with the Ambani-led Reliance Group in the Rafale fighter jet deal ‘scam’.
Addressing the media in the Andhra Ratna Bhavan here, Mr. Moily said the Modi government had failed on all fronts.
He said Rafale-like deals by the Defence Ministry posed grave threat to the integrity of the country.
The senior Congress leader alleged that Mr. Anil Ambani had floated the company 12 days before the contract was signed and Mr. Modi played crucial role in the Reliance company securing the ₹61,000-crore deal. He said awarding such important deal to an inexperienced company would tantamount to weakening the Defence sector.
He said the sector had approved purchase of 126 helicopters while the ‘Centre’ resorted to a ‘corrupt’ deal through Rafale. Mr. Moily said despite repeated demands by All India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi for a comprehensive probe into the deal with the French company Dassault, the Modi government was silent and wondered what Mr. Modi’s silence meant.
Action plan
He said as part of an action plan drawn by the AICC to press for probe into the deal, the Andhra Pradesh Congress leaders would submit memoranda in all district headquarters across the State to the President, through the respective district Collectors on September 12, and on September 24, they would forward it through the Governor.
2019 elections
To queries on possible poll alliance, he said the Congress party would not have any understanding with any party and it would go it alone in the 2019 general elections.
Rajya Sabha member K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao and others were present.