War of words continues.
Union Minister Smriti Irani on Monday hit out at Congress President Rahul Gandhi after Congress President claimed that he had inaugurated ordinance factory way back in 2010. Rahul Gandhi also called PM Modi a liar. In a way Gandhi tried to play down the fact that Kalashnikov rifles will be built in Amethi based on joint venture with Russia.
During his visit to Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha constituency, Prime Minister Modi dedicated to the nation the Joint Venture of Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd, for Kalashnikov Assault Rifle Production.However, Rahul has accused the Prime Minister of lying in a post on Twitter in Hindi which roughly translates as, "Dear Prime Minister, I had myself laid the foundation stone for Ordnance Factory in Amethi in 2010. Production of small arms has been going on there since last few years. Yesterday you went to Amethi and lied again. Don't you feel ashamed at all?"
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Soon after Rahul Gandhi's tweet, BJP leader Smriti Irani criticised the Congress president of lying to the people about development projects in Amethi.She said the Gandhi scion has "destroyed" Amethi."You are so much scared with development of Amethi that you didn't see that yesterday inauguration of a joint venture took place in Korwa. Under this, an agreement was done between India and Russia to build AK 203 rifle," Irani tweeted.
She followed up with couple of more tweets with links of news reports which showed that the ordinance factory was in limbo in 2010.
Here's the complete breakdown of the controversy:
(With agency inputs)
1. AK-203 rifle to be made in Amethi
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The prime minister, who announced development projects worth Rs 538 crore for the constituency, said Amethi will get a new identity now and be known by the new venture of AK-203 Kalashnikov rifles which will be made at the Korba ordnance factory here.
The AK-203 will replace the INSAS rifles being used by the Army and other forces. The immediate target is to produce 7,00,000 AK-203 rifles in the facility, official sources said.
"The AK-203 rifles will be manufactured in Amethi under Russia-India joint venture...these rifles will be known as 'made in Amethi' and will help our jawans in encounters with naxals and terrorists," Modi said.
2. What is Rahul Gandhi's claim?
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According to Rahul Gandhi, the ordinance factory was inaugurated by him way back in 2010. He said that already small arms were being made in the factory. He accused the PM of lying.
प्रधानमंत्री जी,
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 4, 2019
अमेठी की ऑर्डिनेंस फैक्ट्री का शिलान्यास 2010 में मैंने खुद किया था।
पिछले कई सालों से वहां छोटे हथियारों का उत्पादन चल रहा है।
कल आप अमेठी गए और अपनी आदत से मजबूर होकर आपने फिर झूठ बोला।
क्या आपको बिल्कुल भी शर्म नहीं आती?
3. What is Smriti Irani's retort?
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आपको डर इतना है की अमेठी में विकास हो रहा है की आपने ये देखने की तकलीफ़ नहीं उठायी की कल कोरवा में JV का उद्घाटन हुआ है। इसके तहत भारत और रूस के बीच समझौता हुआ AK 203 राइफ़ल के निर्माण का@RahulGandhi
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 4, 2019
अगर कोरवा में 2010 में आपने शिलान्यास किया तो 2007 में ऑर्डिनेंस फैक्ट्री के सम्बंध में जो हुआ उसपे प्रकाश डालेंगे? @RahulGandhihttps://t.co/FxdCT1ye3Rhttps://t.co/f6qeWP4tlb
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 4, 2019
लगे हाथ आज देश को बता दें की कैसे आपने तो उस संस्थान का भी शिलान्यास किया जिसका आप ही के एक नेता ने लगभग 2 दशक पहले शिलान्यास किया था। @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/UpmrYU6wbI
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 4, 2019
In a series of tweets, Irani explained that it is JV between India and Russia based on which AK-203 rifles will be made in the country. According to Smriti Irani, Rahul Gandhi is so afraid that Amethi is developing, that he conveniently ignored the fact that a JV has been signed to make rifles in Amethi.
Irani also shared news articles about how Rahul Gandhi had laid the foundation stone for the factory in 2007 but hardly any work happened. To rub it in, Irani also shared picture of foundation stone of a decades-old project which she claimed that Rahul Gandhi has re-inaugurated.
4. What are the details of the joint venture to build Kalashnikov rifles in India?
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The new joint venture between India and Russia to manufacture the Kalashnikov assault rifles' 200 series will be able to fulfil Indian security agencies' requirement for small arms, Russian President Vladmir Putin said in a message read out by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here on Sunday.
Sitharaman read out the message during an event of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi where he inaugurated a manufacturing unit for the AK-203 assault rifles.
"The new joint venture will manufacture world famous Kalashnikov assault rifles of the newest 200 series and eventually will reach full localisation of production.
"Thus, the Indian defence-industrial sector will have the opportunity to fulfil the needs of national security agencies in this category of small arms, resting upon advanced Russian technologies," Putin said in his message.
He said military and technical cooperation has traditionally been one of the key areas of the special and privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India.
It was during his official visit to India last October that Putin and Modi reached an agreement on producing Kalashnikov rifles in India. The inter-governmental agreement was prepared and signed in the shortest possible time. "In this regard, I would like to express gratitude to Russian and Indian specialists, to all those who so promptly made this project happen," the Russian president said.
Putin said he is convinced that the commissioning of the new enterprise will contribute to stronger defence potential of India and to further advance the scientific and industrial basis of the national economy.
It will be instrumental in terms of creating new jobs for a qualified work force and will provide an impetus to professional education and personnel training, he said.
"The plant itself will become another symbol of friendship and constructive cooperation between our two countries," Putin said in his message read out by the defence minister
