Rahul should apologise to nation: BJP leaders on Rafale verdict

The Supreme Court on Thursday (November 14) gave a clean chit to the Narendra Modi government in the Rafale fighter jet deal case, saying review petitions were without merit.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph rejected pleas which had sought re-examination of its December 14, 2018 verdict which said there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets. The apex court also rejected the contention that there was need for registration of FIR in connection with the deal.

Justice Joseph of the Supreme Court has opened a huge door into investigation of the RAFALE scam.

An investigation must now begin in full earnest. A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) must also be set up to probe this scam. #BJPLiesOnRafale pic.twitter.com/JsqZ53kZFP

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 14, 2019

The apex court also closed the contempt case filed against Rahul Gandhi by BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi for wrongly attributing his “chowkidar chor hai” remark in Rafale case against Modi to the top court.

Slamming the Congress after the top court’s decision, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the allegations of corruption were aimed at maligning Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded that the party apologise for it.

“The allegation of corruption in Rafale deal was nothing but an attempt to malign the clean and honest image of image of PM Narendra Modi and his Government. The people of India will not forgive the Congress for their slanderous campaign and calumny. The Congress should apologise for misleading the people,” he said while attending the Maitree Diwas celebrations at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

He said the purchase of Rafale jets was done in a completely transparent manner, keeping in mind the urgency to update and upgrade India’s defence preparedness.

Similarly, senior BJP leader and union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad demanded that Congress’s Rahul Gandhi apologise to the people for his allegations against PM Modi.

“Earlier Rahul Gandhi created furore saying that Modi ji gave the deal to Reliance, then Dassault said that decision is taken by them not Indian government. His next lie was former French President, Francois Hollande has called PM a thief, which Hollande denied. Rahul lied in the Parliament that France President Emmanuel Macron told him that the deal can be disclosed. Rahul not only used Reliance and Dassault in his lies but also the current and former Presidents of France.”

BJP working president, JP Nadda: From road to Parliament, Rahul Gandhi and his party tried hard to mislead the country on this issue but truth prevailed. I wish Rahul Gandhi would be in country and should offer apologies to nation. (file pic) #RafaleVerdict pic.twitter.com/NPsFlTyckw

— ANI (@ANI) November 14, 2019

According to reports, the Congress had insisted on a joint parliamentary committee probe although the Supreme Court had said that it found “nothing wrong” with the Rafale deal.

Also watch: SC dismisses review petitions on Rafale deal