Will take action against Modi, Anil Ambani post investigation in Rafale deal: Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi, president of Indian National Congress, addressing media persons in Chennai on Wednesday.   | Photo Credit: Ranvijay Singh

The Congress, when it comes to power after the 2019 polls, will launch an investigation into the Rafale deal, and take action on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and industrialist Anil Ambani post the investigation, president Rahul Gandhi said here on Wednesday.

Mr. Gandhi said that the question of corruption [in the Rafale deal] was crystal clear. He reiterated his charge that the PM and Mr. Ambani have “stolen ₹30,000 crore from the pilots of the IAF, from the pockets of the pilots who bombed Pakistan (at Balakot)”.

Commending media for publishing various documents in the Rafale deal, Mr. Gandhi said, “You make it absolutely clear to the whole world that the Prime Minister of India is a corrupt man. You have documentation, clear proof, that the Prime Minister of India has bypassed the entire negotiation, when you have clear proof which says he ran a parallel negotiation”.

“Are we going to cancel the contract? Are we not going to cancel the contract (when we come to power)? That is a technical decision that has nothing to do with us right now. We don’t have that information,” Mr. Gandhi said when asked how the party plans to deal with the issue of the delivery of Rafale jets that are scheduled to arrive from September this year.

Alliances sealed

Mr. Gandhi said the entire opposition was united and primed to fight the BJP, Mr. Modi and the RSS. “On our alliances – alliances in a number of States are firmed up – Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Jharkhand; Bihar is practically concluded, in Jammu &Kashmir, the conversation is close to the final stages. So the idea that the Congress and the opposition don’t have alliances is based on a wrong idea. We are fighting as a combined opposition”, he said.

He said the principle issues in the elections would be unemployment and joblessness in the country. “Narendra Modi is a flop show when it comes to employment. India has the highest unemployment in the last 45 years. The State of the farmers is the second issue and the complete disrespect that Modi government has for the farmers and the attack on our institutions,” he said.

The Congress President also said the party would reform the GST when it came to power, making it simpler. “Also, job creation is going to happen through small, medium businesses. It is when you transform small, medium businesses to large businesses, job creation will happen. We would open the banks to these businesses. Currently the job creators are under assault, attack. Mr. Modi has attacked them through demonetisation, GST,” Mr. Gandhi said.