Rahul tears into PM Modi on demonistaion, Rafale deal

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government of "deliberately" implementing demonetisation to help his "crony capitalist friends".

His assertion came after the Reserve Bank of India report for 2017-2018, released on Wednesday, stated that 99.3 per cent of demonetised currency notes made its way back into the banking system.

The Gandhi scion said, "The RBI annual report proves that all his (Prime Minister Modi) objectives failed. I want to state the real reason for demonetisation to everyone. Prime Minister Modi's 10-15 capitalist friends were defaulters. He helped them to turn their black money into white."

"The objective of demonetisation was very clear. It was to help Prime Minister Modi's friends. Demonetisation was not a mistake, it was a deliberate move," he added.

 

Rahul further accused Prime Minister Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of destroying the Indian economy. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi must answer to the people of this country why this decision was taken which wrecked the economy, something no Prime Minister did in the last 70 years," he said.

Raking up the issue of Rafale, Rahul questioned the alleged link between industrialist Anil Ambani and the ruling party. He alleged, "There are clear facts in Rafale case. Anil Ambani has RS 45,000 crore debt. He formed the company 10 days before the deal. What is the deal between Anil Ambani and Prime Minister Modi?"

He added, "I have no problem on a Joint Parliamentary Committee where all facts can be disclosed. None of the Opposition political parties has a problem. Arun Jaitley, however, has not responded on it, instead he is writing blogs."

Defending his government over charges of favouring private party, Jaitley in an interview to ANI recently said that it was a government to government deal and no third party was involved.

Jaitley clarified that there was an offset clause attached with a foreign vendor and it is mandatory for them to partner with an Indian firm, adding that the government is not involved with who these foreign companies collaborate for offset purpose.