india

Updated: Mar 03, 2019 07:52 IST

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi “snatched” Rs 30,000 crore from the Indian Air Force (IAF), which protects the country, and gave it to industrialist Anil Ambani in Rafale jet deal.

Addressing the Parivartan Ulgulan rally, his first in the state since 2014, Gandhi alleged, “It is a matter of shame that the Indian Air Force protects the nation, air force pilots sacrifice their lives but PM steals money from the air force and puts it in Anil Ambani’s pockets.”

Gandhi has been targeting PM Modi over Rs 58,000-crore Rafale deal with France that India signed in 2016 for the purchase of 36 fighter planes.

Reliance Defence, however, denied any wrongdoing on its part. “Purported email being referred by the Congress Party is regarding the discussion between Airbus and Reliance Defence about the civil and defence helicopter programme under Make in India”, the firm had said in a statement in February. “...It had no link whatsoever with the government to government agreement between France and India for 36 Rafale aircraft,” it added.

Repeating his ‘chowkidar chor hai’ jibe at the PM, Gandhi said PM Modi’s image has changed from a leader who promised to bring “achchhe din” (better time) to “chowkidar chor hai” (watchman is a thief). Gandhi said the united opposition would defeat the ‘chowkidar’ in Lok Sabha election, and in assembly election in Jharkhand six months later.

State BJP spokesperson Pratul Shadeo said: “When Congress raises fingers at others, it’s like ‘chor machaye shor’. It was Congress which installed independent (Madhu Koda) as CM and looted Rs 4,000 crore of the state.

(With PTI inputs)