Parrikar slams Rahul for using his visit for 'petty political games'

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar slammed Rahul Gandhi for claiming that he had denied any involvement in the finalisation of the Rafale fighter deal, saying that he felt let down that the Congress president used the courtesy visit to him for 'petty political games'.

Parrikar, the ailing former Defence minister, asserted in a letter to Rahul that the Rafale issue was not even mentioned during the five minutes that Gandhi spent at his office yesterday.

"Reading media reports covering your visit to my office has caused me distress. It is reported in the media today that you have said quoting me that I was nowhere in the process of procuring Rafale nor did I have any information then about it," Parrikar wrote in the letter.

"The Inter Government Agreement (IGA) and the procurement of Rafale are as per the Defence Procurement Procedure. I have said this before and wish to reiterate it again in today's context too. The fighter aircraft are procured following all stated procedures keeping national security as top priority," added Parrikar, who was the Defence minister when the Rafale deal was finalised between India and France in 2016.

Rahul, who was on a private visit to Goa, met the Chief Minister on Tuesday. He later claimed that during his meeting, Parrikar "clearly denied" any involvement in the new Rafale fighter jet deal "orchestrated" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "benefit" Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani.

"Friends, the ex-Defence minister clearly stated that he has nothing to do with the new deal that was orchestrated by Mr Narendra Modi to benefit Anil Ambani," Rahul told booth level party workers in Kochi.

Rahul Gandhi is a "compulsive liar", Prasanna Karthik, Special OSD to the Chief Minister, tweeted on Wednesday dismissing the Congress president's claims on the Rafale deal after visiting the ailing Parrikar.