Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country is today feeling the absence of Rafale fighter jets. He said if previous governments had purchased the Rafale aircraft the outcome of the recent incidents could have been different.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there is a lot of talk in the country these days that the country is suffering due to the absence of Rafale fighter jets.

"In dino bahut charcha chal rahi hai aur ek swar uth raha hai ki desh main Rafale ki kami khal rahi hai. Aaj Hindustan ek swar main keh raha hai ki aaj agar hamre paas Rafale hota toh shayad parinam kuch aur hota (Today there is talk that India is missing the Rafale jets. The entire nation is saying that if India had Rafale jets today, the outcome of the recent incidents would have been something different)," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he would like to make it very clear that in the past, the country "suffered" due to vested interest over the Rafale jets.

"And at present, we continue to suffer due to the politicisation of the Rafale deal. The vested interests and politicisation has caused great harm to the nation's interest," PM Modi said.

Attacking the Opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said they [Opposition] are welcome to criticise his government's policies and find faults in its working. "But I request you not to oppose matters related to the nation's security," he said.

"Aap dhyan rakhiye ki Modi virodh ki jidh main aap Masood Azhar aur Haifz Saeed jaise aatankiyon ko sahara na dain (In your stubborn desire to oppose Modi, see that you don't end up strengthening terrorists like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed)," PM Modi said.

The Opposition has been accusing the prime minister of wrongdoing in the Rafale deal that was signed between India and French defence manufacturer Dassault Aviation. Under the deal, India will purchase 36 Rafale jets from Dassault Aviation.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has accused PM Modi of nepotism and crony capitalism. He has gone on record to say that "PM Modi is a thief" who "stole Rs 30,000" from the Indian Air Force and gave it to Anil Ambani.

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