Congress has a poor record on defence deals: PM Modi

Just days after the Supreme Court dismissed all petitions seeking a court-monitored probe into the alleged irregularities in Rafale aircraft deal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi-led Congress saying that the party has always spread lies.

"Such (Congress) people feel that even the country's defence ministry is lying, the defence minister is also lying, the officers of the IAF are liars too. Now they believe that the highest court of the country is also spreading lies," Prime Minister Modi said while addressing a public rally here.

The Rafale jet deal controversy has been on the boil over the last few months. The Congress and other opposition parties have been alleging irregularities in the high-profile deal. The fighter jet is a twin-engine Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft, which security analysts believe can be a 'game-changer' for India's defence system.

Further taking a dig at the rival Congress, the 68-year-old Prime Minister underlined that no efforts were made by the then central government despite the fact that the Indian Air Force was in dire need to upgrade their weaponry after the Kargil War.

"After the Kargil War, our Airforce was in need of modern aircraft. After the government of Atal Ji, Congress ruled the country for 10 long years, but the Air Force did not become strong. They (Congress) basically wanted our forces to be weak," the Prime Minister accused the Congress.

"Congress has a poor record on defence deals. If one looks closely, Bofors scam came to light during their tenure. Some or the other foreigner was involved in every defence deal during the UPA regime. Chopper scam accused Christian Michel has been brought to the country a few days back. Everyone saw how Congress sent their lawyer to save him. Our deal (Rafale) does not have any Quattrocchi uncle and Michel mama (maternal uncle). For us, our nation is always above party," he added.

Touching upon the initiatives taken by his government, the Prime Minister said that they purchased as many as 50,000 bulletproof jackets in 2016 for the Army and a total of 1, 86,000 indigenously made bulletproof jackets have been ordered in April this year.

"In 2009, the Indian Army had sought 1.86 lakh bulletproof jackets. Five years passed from 2009 to 2014, but bulletproof jackets were not purchased for the military. But after coming to power at the Centre we purchased 50,000 bulletproof jackets for the Army in 2016. I also want to convey to the people of the country that a total of 1.86 lakh bulletproof jackets have been ordered in April this year. The jackets have been manufactured by an Indian company," the Prime Minister emphasised.