PM Modi gave Rs 30,000 crore to his friend Anil, he is 'solely responsible' for delay in arrival of Rafale, says Rahul

In his first reaction to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at India Today Conclave 2019, Congress President Rahul Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of stealing Rs 30,000 crore and said he was "solely responsible" for the delay in the arrival of Rafale jets in India. Rahul Gandhi's recent attack on the Prime Minister comes after PM Modi during his speech at the India Today Conclave 2019 said India was feeling the absence of Rafale. "The entire country is saying in one voice today, that if we had Rafale, the results would have been different. The country has suffered a lot due to selfish interests earlier and now politics over Rafale," he said.

Holding the PM responsible for the Indian Air Force pilots using outdated fighter jets, Rahul Gandhi said it was due to the PM that brave soldiers like Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman were risking their lives flying obsolete jets. "Dear PM, Have you no shame at all? You stole (Rs) 30,000 Crore and gave it to your friend Anil. You are solely responsible for the delay in the arrival of the Rafale jets. "You are why brave IAF pilots like Wing Cdr. Abhinandan, are risking their lives flying outdated jets," Gandhi said on Twitter.

Dear PM,

Have you no shame at all?

YOU stole 30,000 Cr and gave it to your friend Anil.

YOU are solely responsible for the delay in the arrival of the RAFALE jets.

YOU are WHY brave IAF pilots like Wing Cdr. Abhinandan, are risking their lives flying outdated jets. https://t.co/BrzAuFTlFu

Reacting to the PM's speech, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the nation witnessed a "monologue by a narcissistic Prime Minister sans any sense of accountability". "Prime Minister is obsessed with one word - 'Modi'," he said. He said the Modi government symbolised two things - "Crony Deals & Doles to Cronies!". "The very edifice of Modi Government is - By the cronies, Of the cronies & For the cronies," he alleged, adding that only a handful of Modi's crony industrialist friends had enjoyed 'achhe din' for the last 56 months. "Latest instances of Modiji's cronyism are the Rafale deal and handing over of 5 out of 6 airports to his crony friends," the statement said.

Also read: India has felt the absence of Rafale, the result would have been different, says Narendra Modi

The Congress said that the BJP was "comprising national security" by not taking decisive action against Pakistan-sponsored terror. "When will Modiji take decisive action against Pakistan-sponsored terror? Compromising national security and gross intelligence failure are the characteristic style of a non-functioning Modi government," he said. Attacking the PM over the unrest and a high number of casualties in Jammu and Kashmir, Surjewala in a statement said: "In last 56 months, 498 soldiers and officers have been martyred in Jammu and Kashmir alone. In the month of February 2019 alone, 55 brave soldiers laid down their lives due to the menace of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism." He added the Prime Minister had blatantly "politicised" the bravery and martyrdom of India's soldiers as a political pamphlet.

Slamming the Opposition for opposing every act of the government, PM Modi on Saturday had said they were 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.

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Edited by Manoj Sharma

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