Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday slammed Congress president Rahul Gandhi for stating that he was not involved in the new Rafale deal. The ailing chief minister said that he feels let down that the Congress president used the meeting for his petty political gains.
"Reading media reports covering your visit to my office has caused me distress. It is reported in media today that you have said quoting me that I was nowhere in the process of procuring Rafale nor did I have any information then about it. 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. Nothing whatsoever about Rafale was even mentioned in your meeting with me," Parrikar writes in the letter to Gandhi.
"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," he added.
Questioning the purpose of visit, Parrikar said that he thought Rahul’s visit would give him good wishes in the cause of serving people but had no idea about his other intention. “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. Here am I fighting against a life-threatening illness. Due to my training and ideological strength. I wish to serve Goa and its people against any/all odds. I thought your visit would give me your good wishes in that cause of serving our people. Little did I know that you had other intentions,†the 63-year-old chief minister said.
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His letter came a day after Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal, claiming that Parrikar, the former defence minister, had clearly stated that he has nothing to do with the 'new deal'.Â
"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 chief told a booth-level party workers meeting.
The Congress president had met the chief minister on Tuesday at the Goa Assembly complex in Panaji.
Meanwhile, BJP president Amit Shah also attacked the Congress president saying his act shows how insensitive he is. "Dear Rahul Gandhi, you showed how insensitive you are, by lying in the name of a person fighting a disease. The people of India are disgusted by your reckless behaviour," tweeted Amit Shah.
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