PM on News Nation: Will personally go and honour a journalist who questions Opposition on Rafale

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on a host of issues in an exclusive interview with News Nation’s Deepak Chaurasia and Peenaz Tyagi on Saturday. PM Modi discussed on topics ranging from the Lok Sabha elections, national security, Pulwama terror attack and on the fateful night of Balakot airstrike. However, the prime minster also gave some interesting insights about the politically sensitive Rafale fighter jet deal, which has been a source of major controversy for the last few months. On the burning question of Congress president Rahul Gandhi's Rs 30,000 crore Rafale allegations, PM Modi said he is very well aware of the intentions of those people who are making these accusations.

The prime minister further said people should ask those complainants to provide details in support of their allegations rather than questioning him on the issue again and again. Modi also appealed to journalists to question the opposition on their facts.

"I know those who are making these allegations and I know their intent. Why nobody is asking this question to them? Nobody has asked them to give details about those allegations. I would personally go and honour a journalist who asks them such a question," PM Modi was quoted as saying during the interview.

मैं आरोप लगाने वालों को जानता हूं, उनके इरादे को भी जानता हूं और देश भी जानता है।

जो सवाल मुझसे पूछा जाता है, वही सवाल उनसे जाकर पूछना चाहिए ।

ऐसा कोई पत्रकार होता है तो मैं उसके घर जाकर सम्‍मानित करूंगा: पीएम मोदी #DeshKeDilMeiModi pic.twitter.com/WLsM5mcGKn

— BJP (@BJP4India) May 11, 2019

Asked if constant bashing by his detractors also make him upset like all other common man, Modi responded, "Yes, I am human, but I am a prime minister too. For the sake of this country, I am trying to increase my power to deal with these insults. I can’t let the nation suffer due to such petty things.

The prime minister's interview with News Nation comes a day after the Supreme Court on Friday reserved its verdict on petitions challenging its December 14 judgment on the Rafale fighter jet deal. In its December 14 judgement, the top court had dismissed a plea seeking probe into alleged irregularities in the deal with France.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has raised questions for a long time on why the Rafale contract was awarded to Ambani and also asked the prime minister to come clear on why the fighter jet was purchased at Rs 1,600 crore from France by the NDA government as against Rs 526 crore negotiated by the Congress-led UPA regime between the 2004-2013 period.