Rafale deal has become global issue, should be investigated: Akhilesh

Former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday appealed for the constitution of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the controversial Rafale deal.

Akhilesh, who was a part of his party's rally organized in New Delhi's Jantar Mantar, said that the truth would never come out without the JPC as questions are being raised in both India and outside on the issue pertaining to the Rafale deal.

"We have demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Rafale deal. Without the JPC, the truth will not come out. Now, this issue has become global," Akhilesh told reporters.

"There is a large-scale debate that is going on regarding the Rafale deal. The government must reveal the truth to the citizens of this country. Even during the 2G spectrum scam, a JPC was constituted. I demand the same thing to happen this time as well," he added.

The controversy regarding the Rafale deal took a new turn after former French president Francois Hollande claimed that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government who chose Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence as the offset partner in the Rafale jet deal. Hollande had further said that his government didn't have a choice but to accept Ambani's name for the deal.

Incidentally, Hollande's statements led to a massive mud-slinging between the leaders of both Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

While Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for indulging in absolute corruption and called him being the "custodian of the country who is a thief", Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit back at the Gandhi scion saying that the latter is making such an accusation when he and his mother is accused and charge-sheeted in the National Herald scam case.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in an exclusive interview to ANI also downplayed both Hollande and Gandhi's statements, saying both the leaders of the two countries spoke in one voice and their statements were orchestrated.