Sonia Gandhi along with other opposition party leaders raise slogans during a protest against over Rafale deal... Read More

NEW DELHI: Congress leaders reacted sharply to legal notices served on them by the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group asking them to "cease and desist" from levelling charges of getting undue benefits from the multi-billion dollar Rafale fighter aircraft deal.

Referring to the legal notices as 'evidence of wrongdoing' for which the company wanted to silence them, the party leaders said they will not be scared, nor cease or desist from stating the truth. Legal notices have been served to Congressmen Randeep Surjewala, Pawan Khera, Priyanka Chaturvedi, Shakti Sinh Gohil, Jaiveer Shergil, Arjun Modhwadia and Sunil Jakhar.

The notices come just as the party sets out on a month-long offensive against the Modi government on the Rafale deal . Referring to the defence deal as the "grandmother of all scams", Congress leader Shakti Sinh Gohil said top Congress leaders will hold press conferences in 90 places across India from August 26 to September 5. Following these, Congress will also fan out across all districts in the country to hold 'Jan Andolan' rallies and demonstrations targeting PM Narendra Modi and the defence deal effected by his government.

Congress MP Sunil Jakhar, who received the 'cease and desist' notice from the Reliance Group, said the Rafale matter was a serious issue of national security and the notice was the result of a "nexus between BJP and the corporate world". In a jibe intended at Ambani, Jakhar posted his own picture holding a hand-made paper plane on Twitter and said: "I reiterate, my aeroplane making skills (as demonstrated in Lok Sabha) are better than yours."

Congress spokesperson Shakti Sinh Gohil said he received two legal notices. "I received the first notice on August 1 and replied to it saying I only stated facts that are already in public domain," he said.

Gohil also said Congress is not against industrialists who transact businesses honestly.



In Video: Reliance warns Congress leader Shergill on Rafale deal