Rahul attacks PM Modi over Rafale, Ayushman Bharat

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday cornered Prime Minister Narendra Modi over various issue.

Continuing his tirade against the Prime Minister on Rafale, Rahul slammed the former for looting exchequers money through various Central scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojna (PMJAY) - Ayushman Bharat.

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Rahul accused Prime Minister of providing Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence a deal worth Rs 1, 30, 000 crore. He further alleged that yearly the government spends only Rs 40 per person under the PMJAY - Ayushman Bharat scheme -- whereas the scheme has provision of Rs 5 lakh per family per year.

"When does the country's chokidar say 'Khul ja sim sim'? When Anil Ambani gets Rs 1, 30, 000 crore in the Rafale deal. When Rs 2000 crore was sanctioned for 50 crore Indians under Ayushan Bharat - PMJAY - whereas the yearly expenses per person under the Rs 5 lakh health insurance scheme is Rs 40. Wow Modi Ji, the news is your promotion."

The Rafale controversy has heated up in recent weeks, with the opposition targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government over irregularities in the pricing of each jet in their deal.

The controversy took a new turn after former French President Francois Hollande stated on September 22 that Reliance Defence was nominated by the Indian government to partner with Dassault Aviation for the deal.

The deal, which included 36 ready-to-fly Rafale jets, was signed by Prime Minister Modi and then-French President Hollande in 2016 after the original deal, signed by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for 18 ready-to-fly jets and another 108 - to be manufactured in India - was scrapped.

The PMJAY Ayushman Bharat scheme, launched on September 23, provides a yearly medical cover of Rs 5 lakh per family to around 10 crore families below the poverty line. It was announced by the Prime Minster during his Independence Day speech last month.