Rahul owes an apology for misleading public on Rafale: Amit Shah

Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah on Friday said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi must issue an apology soon for misleading public on the Rafale fighter jet deal.

"Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the nation for misleading people. What was the source of information on the basis of which he made such big allegations?" said the 54-year-old BJP chief while addressing a press conference here on Friday.

Shah further said, By trying to stop the procedure to buy the aircraft, Rahul Gandhi put the security of the country in danger. I would like to ask Rahul Gandhi to present the source of your information into the Rafale deal, on the basis of which you have levied such allegations," he added.

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.

This statement from Shah came just a few hours after the Supreme Court dismissed all petitions pertaining to the deal.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice Gogoi, said that there is no need to conduct an investigation into details of Rafale pricing.

"We are satisfied that there is no occasion to doubt the process. Joint exercise have taken place and there is no element of financial benefits. Detailed scrutiny of RafaleDeal deal is not required," said Gogoi.

Shah in his concluding statement claimed, "whenever Congress is in power, there is a string of scams, ghotalas and jumlas.We invite the Congress for a discussion on the Rafale deal in Parliament."

"If Congress had all the proof then why did they not go to the Supreme Court with it? Their B team was already there. Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is formed only when there is a discussion in Parliament, I challenge the Congress for a discussion on the Rafale deal," he said.