Rafale Deal: Congress begins series of events to expose alleged corruption

The Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party has scheduled a series of press conferences across the country starting August 25 to September 6 as a part of its planned agitation against the Narendra  Modi government  that also include state-level protests and district-level marches to ‘expose’ the alleged corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal. The agitation campaign will move to all state-level headquarters from September 16 to 30 where protests have been planned in a hope to make the Rafale jet deal a key electoral plank in the run-up to the next general elctionel Scheduled early 2019.

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Earlier on August 20, Congress National General Secretary Ashok Gehlot, in a letter, told all the senior leaders about the planned agitation and stated that district-level marches should be organised with relevant placards and hoardings.

“The Congress president desires that AICC (All India Congress Committee) general secretaries/ in-charges/ PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) presidents/ CLP (Congress Legislative Party) leaders should address the press conferences for maximum publicity and dissemination of the message,” Gehlot’s letter read.

Meanwhile, to monitor the agitations and reviewing the feedback of the planned campaign, a separate control room has been set up.

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The press conferences are likely to be held in more than 90 cities, according to senior leaders.

The Congress move to turn the Rafale deal into a national campaign is vital as it has been raising the issue in the past few months, including in the recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament, raising allegations of corruption, lack of transparency and the misleading of the people.

Senior leaders said these conferences are likely to be held in more than 90 cities.

Earlier, Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group had sent legal notices to several Congress leaders after they alleged that the multi-billion group is getting undue benefits from the Rafale jet deal.

However, the Congress leaders said that they stand by their words and will not be scared or silenced by such notices.