BJP gives privilege notice against Rahul on Rafale

The BJP on Monday gave notices of privilege motion against Congress President Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha over the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal.

The notice was given by BJP MPs Anurag Thakur, Nishikant Dubey, Dushyant Singh and Prahlad Joshi, accusing the Congress MP of "misleading" the House in a speech delivered in the lower house on July 20.

In his notice Thakur said that Rahul Gandhi had said that the UPA government agreed to purchase the aircraft at Rs 529 crore and Prime Minister Narendra Modi went France and "by magic the aircraft started costing Rs 1600 crore."

Thakur said that Rahul Gandhi's statement was untrue.

"The price comparison given by Rahul Gandhi is a figment of imagination, incorrect and utter falsehood. It was an attempt to mislead the House. By uttering falsehood before the House, Rahul Gandhi is guilty of breach of privilege," Thakur said in his notice.

During a debate on no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi had alleged that Defence Minister Nirmala Sithraman had lied to the country by claiming that India was bound by a secrecy clause in the Rafale fighter jet deal.

The Congress has been demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Rafale deal. The first week of the House was a washed out over the issue.

--IANS

bns/mr