Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today launched a blistering attack against Congress president Rahul Gandhi after the later alleged that the Goa CM had told him personally that the prime minister didn’t take the defence ministry into confidence while changing the Rafale deal. “Yesterday, I met Parrikar ji. He told me personally that Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t take the defence ministry into confidence which changing the Rafale deal,†Rahul Gandhi said today while addressing a rally in Delhi’s Talkatora stadium.
Rahul Gandhi had Manohar Parrikar, who is suffering from a serious ailment, on Tuesday. He later said during a meeting with booth-level party workers in Kochi that Mr Parrikar had clearly denied any involvement in the Rafale fighter jet deal, allegedly "orchestrated" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "benefit" Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani.
Manohar Parrikar said in his letter that he had received Rahul Gandhi in a "healthy political spirit" despite the fact that he was fighting a severe ailment. "However, reading media reports covering your visit to my office has caused me distress. I feel let down that you have used this visit for petty political gains..." he wrote.
#WATCH Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi says "Main kal Parrikar ji se mila tha. Parrikar ji ne swayam kaha tha ki deal badalte seamay PM ne Hindustan ke Defence Minister se nahi poocha tha." pic.twitter.com/adgAV0SKhU
— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2019
Responding to Congress president’s allegations, Manohar Parrikar wrote a fiery letter where he slammed the Gandhi scion for peddling lies and using the visit for petty political gains. Here are top 5 digs, Manohar Parrikar took on Rahul Gandhi through his two-page long letter:
- I feel let down that you have used this visit for your petty political gains.
- In the 05 minutes you spent with me, neither did you mention anything about Rafale, nor did we discuss anything about/related to it.
- Paying a courtesy visit and then stooping so low as to make a false statement for petty political gain has raised, in my mind, questions about the sincerity and purpose of your visit itself.
- Kindly do not use your visit to an ailing person to feed political opportunism
- Due to my training and ideological strength. I wish to serve Goa and its people against any/all odds.
Goa CM Manohar Parrikar writes to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, writes "I feel let down that you have used this visit for your petty political gains. In the 5 minutes you spent with me, neither did you mention anything about Rafale, now did we discuss anything related to it.' pic.twitter.com/HbUX6yiDk3
— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2019
This is not the first time that Rahul Gandhi has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal. Yesterday, Rahul claiming that Parrikar, who is a former defence minister, had clearly stated that he has nothing to do with the 'new deal'.
"Friends, the ex-defence minister Mr. Parrikar clearly stated that he has nothing to do with the new deal that was orchestrated by Mr. Narendra Modi to benefit Anil Ambani," the Congress leader told a booth-level party worker meeting here. His statement had come hours after he met Parrikar at the Goa assembly complex in Panaji.