Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressed media on the Rafale deal in New Delhi on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Congress sought registration of an FIR against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “corruption” in the Rafale fighter jet deal, with party president Rahul Gandhi claiming that there “is now enough evidence” to prosecute him.

Leading the party’s charge, Gandhi alleged “the trail of corruption” in the Rafale fighter jet deal “begins and ends with” Modi.

The Congress chief Gandhi will also sound the poll bugle from a rally in Moga on Thursday. The party leaders have said that the rally theme is likely to be “jawan” not “kisan”. Later in the day, he will address another rally in Himachal Pradesh,

Highlights:

10:40am IST ‘Totally condemn blatant lies of Rahul Gandhi’: Ravi Shankar Prasad Reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s media briefing on Rafale deal, Union minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “Totally condemn the blatant lies of Rahul Gandhi... He doesn’t believe the Indian Air Force, he doesn’t believe the SC, doesn’t believe the CAG. Does he want to believe Pakistan? He is inadvertently or deliberately playing into hands of Rafale competitors.” | ANI





9:52am IST ‘Families of CRPF personnel have raised issue of airstrikes’: Rahul Gandhi Speaking about the IAF strikes on terror camp in Pakistan, Rahu Gandhi said, “I won’t talk much about it (evidence of IAF strikes), but yes I read that families of some of the CRPF personnel who were martyred have raised this issue, they are saying we were hurt so please show us what happened.” |ANI





9:50am IST PM is poster boy of Pakistan, says Rahul Gandhi Speaking on Indo-Pak relations, Rahul Gandhi says, “PM got ISI to Pathankot, went to meet Nawaz Sharif, he is the poster boy of Pakistan”.





9:48am IST ‘If PM isn’t guilty, why not order probe?’ If prime minister is not guilty, why is he not ordering an investigation: Rahul Gandhi continues his attack on PM. He said, “It is written in the document that PM should carry on the negotiation…The cost of Rafale was increased…Why PM is not ordering investigation…if he is not guilty, Why don’t they set up JPC?”





9:45am IST ‘Def min officials complained of parallel negotiation by PMO’ Defence ministry officials complained of parallel negotiation by PMO on Rafale.Why did they complain, there was a reason, says Rahu Gandhi





9:42am IST ‘All truth will come out ultimately’: Cong president Rahul Gandhi says, “There is direct connection…all truth will come out ultimately…In the defence ministry file, the Indian negotiating team says that PMO is carrying a parallel negotiation…Why are you interfering with their work…The reason is you wanted to give contract to Anil Ambani”





9:40am IST Probe the prime minister: Rahul Gandhi Probe whoever you want but investigate the prime minister too, says Rahul Gandhi. He says, “Yes of course take action on those involved in this missing documents case but also initiate an inquiry on PMO making parallel negotiations.”





9:37am IST PM Modi performed bypass surgery in Rafale deal: Rahul Gandhi PM Modi performed bypass surgery in Rafale deal, purchase delayed to benefit Anil Ambani, says Congress president Rahul Gandhi | PTI





9:35am IST Rahul takes a dig at the govt Rahul Gandhi takes dig at Modi government, says ‘Gayab ho gaya’ is the new tag line for the government on Rafale deal





9:35am IST Rahul Gandhi begins media briefing Congress president begins media briefing on Rafale deal in New Delhi. Apologises for being late.





9:25am IST ‘Papers were stolen’: Govt’s counter to Rafale plea During a hearing in SC on Wednesday, the Attorney General cited the Official Secrets Act and demanded that the apex court turn down petitions seeking a review of its own December verdict rejecting a probe of the Rafale jet fighter deal. KK Venugopal said the petitioners’ case rested on stolen papers acquired from “present or former employees” of the defence ministry.



