Rafale row: Goyal calls Rahul a 'serial liar'

Union Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal on Friday called Congress president Rahul Gandhi a 'serial liar' and said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dassault Aviation, Éric Trappier has 'categorically' mentioned that Dassault themselves chose their offset partner for the Rafale deal.

Goyal, while addressing reporters here, said, "The CEO of Dassault Aviation has categorically confirmed that since the implementation of offset was an obligation under the Indian regulation also drafted during the UPA, they chose themselves the partners to implement the offsets. Their discussions and contracts are persisting since 2012."

"Congress lied in the Parliament too where Rahul Gandhi said he personally met French President and asked him about the secrecy of Rafale deal. It only shows the hollowness of knowledge that he does not know that secrecy pact was done in 2008 by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," he added.

Attacking the previous United Progressive Alliance government, he said, "The Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Centre negotiated terms which are far better than what was agreed by UPA in 2007 and 2012. We have gotten faster delivery, longer maintenance tenure, better availability of spare parts and much-needed defence capabilities.