BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra tweeted a video clip where Rahul Gandhi is purportedly heard questioning Raman Singh govt for not buying smartphones from BHEL.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday mocked Congress president Rahul Gandhi for reportedly claiming that Chhattisgarh government was involved in a scam as it did not buy cellphones for its scheme from public-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL).
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra tweeted a video clip from Congress chief's rally in Chhattisgarh on Friday. In the purported video, Rahul Gandhi is heard saying that there was a scam in Chhattisgarh government's cellphone distribution scheme as they were not being bought from BHEL, a PSU.
Chhattisgarh government, headed by Chief Minister Raman Singh, has launched 'Sanchar Kranti Yojna' under which free smartphones will be distributed to 50 lakh people in the state. The scheme was launched by President Ram Nath Kovind on July 26 in Raipur.
"These mobiles, why were they not bought from the BHEL. Explain it to us, why did they not buy it from BHEL. You should understand, there is a Rafale scam and here it is a cellphone scam," Rahul purportedly said.
BHEL, incorporated in 1964, is an integrated power plant equipment manufacturer, according to its website. One of the largest engineering and manufacturing companies of its kind in India, BHEL is engaged in the design, engineering, manufacture, construction, testing, commissioning and servicing of a wide range of products and services for core sectors of the economy, viz. Power, Transmission, Industry, Transportation (Railways), Renewable Energy, Oil & Gas, Water and Defence with over 180 products offerings to meet the needs of these sectors, its website says.
Mocking the Congress leader, Patra tweeted, "This is the understanding of a Politician who wants to be our PM ?? An extremely “Electrifying” speech ..feeling “Heavy” after hearing it ..indeed “Bharat” has “Limited” edition of such Matured Politicians!!"
DNA does vouch for the authenticity of the video clip tweeted by the BJP spokesperson.
Rahul Gandhi was in Chhattisgarh yesterday to inaugurate a new office of the state unit of the party.
Gandhi had laid the foundation stone of this office building in June 2015 when he was the Congress vice-president. The new office is expected to function as the main opposition party's base for the assembly elections slated to be held by the year-end.
Speaking after the inauguration, the Congress president termed the Rafale fighter jet deal as the country's "biggest ever" defence scam and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a "partner" in the corruption.
Referring to Modi who has been saying that in his position as the prime minister he is the country's 'chowkidaar', Gandhi alleged that "the 'chowkidaar' (watchman) has been a 'bhagidaar'".
India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in 2015 for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter planes.
"The UPA government had readied the Rafale contract, according to which the price for each jet was approximately Rs 540 crore. The contract was ready and Modi ji only had to take a decision.
"But, Modi ji goes to France and scraps the previous contract and the Defence Minister and other cabinet ministers do not know about it," Gandhi said.
"Magically, the price of each Rafale jet shoots up from Rs 540 crore to Rs 1400 crore," he added.
He maintained that the secrecy pact with France did have any clause wherein the price of the jets could not be disclosed to the country.
The Congress leader claimed that the contract was earlier given to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Modi handed it over to "his friend Anil Ambani".
"The fun part is that the contract was given to Ambani ji, who has never made an aeroplane in his life nor has he ever taken a contract for defence," Gandhi said.
"The company, which was given the contract, was in a debt of Rs 45,000 crore," he claimed.
Ambani has already rejected Rahul Gandhi's allegations and emphasised that the government had no role in the Rafale- manufacturer French company Dassault picking up his company as a local partner.
(With PTI inputs)
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