Rahul Gandhi counters Manohar Parrikar’s letter on Rafale with Facebook post

Hours after Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar slammed Congress president Rahul Gandhi for playing petty politics over his visit to him, the Congress party chief countered his remarks in a Facebook post. Rahul Gandhi said that his visit was strictly personal and driven purely by his empathy for the CM. “You will no doubt recall that I also called you when you were undergoing treatment in the United States to enquire after your health and wish you well”, he wrote.

Congress party president further added that he is democratic representative, elected to serve the Indian people, and as such, he reserves the absolute right to attack the corrupt PM on his blatant dishonesty in the Rafale deal. “I have not shared any details of my conversation with you when we met in Goa yesterday. In my two speeches since we met, I have referred to what is already in the public domain,” Rahul Gandhi posted on Facebook.

Attacking the prime minister over Rafale deal, Rahul Gandhi wrote “It is a fact that in April 2015, while you were inaugurating a fish market in Goa, PM Modi announced the RAFALE deal in France with the then French President, Hollande. It is also a fact that you clearly stated to the press that you had no idea about the new deal engineered by the PM. This has been widely reported in all sections of the media.”

I totally empathise with Parrikar Ji's situation & wish him well. He's under immense pressure from the PM after our meeting in Goa and needs to demonstrate his loyalty by attacking me.

Attached is the letter I've written him. pic.twitter.com/BQ6V6Zid8m

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 30, 2019

“Again, it is a fact that there is an audio recording of your own Cabinet colleague in Goa, claiming you told ministers in a cabinet meeting that you have the RAFALE papers in your “bedroom”, implying that you have power over PM Modi and his cronies,” he added. Accusing PM Modi of creating pressure on ailing Manohar Parrikar, Rahul said, “Parrikar Ji, I empathise with your situation. I understand the immense pressure you are under after our meeting yesterday. Pressure that has forced you to take the highly unusual step of demonstrating your loyalty to the PM and his cronies by attacking me in this uncharacteristic manner.”

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Earlier today, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar accused Congress president Rahul Gandhi of using his courtesy visit to him for "petty political gains", asserting that there was no mention of the Rafale issue in their five-minute meeting.  In a letter to Gandhi, Parrikar asked the Congress chief to put out the truth and not to use his visit to an ailing person to "feed political opportunism", BJP sources said.  His letter came a day after Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal, claiming that Parrikar, who is a former defence minister, had clearly stated that he has nothing to do with the 'new deal'.

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

 "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 in Kochi. In his letter to Gandhi, Parrikar said he feels "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, not did we discuss anything about/related to it." 

HIGHLIGHTS

• I am democratic representative, elected to serve the people: Rahul Gandhi
• I totally empathise with Parrikar Ji's situation and wish him well: Rahul
• Manohar Parrikar under pressure from the PM after our meeting: Rahul Gandhi