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#RahulKaPuraKhandanChor say Ministers as Rafale row trigger war of words between Congress, BJP

The Congress party and the BJP locked horns over the ongoing Rafale fighter jet row after former French president Francois Hollande's reported remarks contradicting the Indian government's stand.

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The Congress party and the BJP locked horns over the ongoing Rafale fighter jet row after former French president Francois Hollande's reported remarks contradicting the Indian government's stand.

While Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being "corrupt", the ruling party alleged that pressure for 'extraneous considerations' during the UPA rule did not allow the contract to be finalised.

The charges flew thick and fast from both sides.

"It is very important for the Prime Minister of India now to either accept Mr Hollande's statement and say 'Yes, it is the truth -- Mr Narendra Modi gave the Rafale contract in Rs 30,000 crore to Mr Anil Ambani', or 'Mr Hollande is not telling the truth and here is the truth'," Gandhi said at a press conference.

Coming out in Modi's defence, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad condemned Gandhi's remarks as "shameful and irresponsible" and said no president of any party in independent India has ever used such language against a prime minister.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took to Twitter to lash out at Congress chief.  "They betray their sense of desperation in being out-of-power. In our govt there is no corruption. No wonder today the buzz is #RahulKaPuraKhandanChor," she said.

Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore said truth is clearly not Rahul Gandhi's forte, but even dignity is too much to expect from him! "His only qualification is a surname. His entire family has bn involved in scams. Ironic of him to blame PM @narendramodi ji, India's most honest PM,in Rafale deal! #RahulKaPuraKhandanChor."

Stating that out on bail Rahul Gandhi & his family have long been the primary source of corruption in the country, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said, "They are today blaming Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi in the Rafael deal, who has given India its most honest administration since Independence."

"Rahul Gandhi is out on bail. His family is responsible for some of the most reprehensible acts in our history. Many @INCIndia leaders are facing serious corruption charges. Today they are blaming Hon’ble PM Modi, who has run India’s most honest Govt! #RahulKaPuraKhandanChor," said Jayant Sinha

BJP president Amit Shah also took a dig at Gandhi, wondering if he has formed a "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) with Pakistan as both are saying "Modi hatao" (remove Modi). Shah used a tweet of Pakistan minister Fawad Hussain to throw barbs at Gandhi.

Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with then French President Hollande on April 10,   2015   in Paris.

On Friday, Hollande was quoted by a French publication as saying that the Indian government proposed Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence as the partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet fighter deal and France did not have a choice.

 The French government Friday said it was in no manner involved in the choice of Indian industrial partners for the Rafale fighter jet deal.

The Congress has also been demanding answers from the government on why state-run aerospace major HAL was not involved in the deal as finalised during the UPA. The opposition parties have also alleged that the Reliance Defence was formed just 12 days before the announcement of the Rafale deal by the prime minister on 10 April 2015. The Reliance group has rejected the charges.

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