Congress appears to be projecting Supreme Court as a 'liar': PM

In his first publicoutburst against the Congress after the Rafale deal verdict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday alleged the party was trying to project Supreme Court as a "liar" and was letting down the defence forces.

Addressing a rally at Rae Bareli, Modi termed the previous defence deals by the Congress government as "tainted" and dubbed Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrochi and alleged middle man Christian Michel as "uncles" (of Congress).

He said the opposition partywas "aligning" with forces that do not want to see India'sdefence forces becoming strong.

Citing a couplet from Ramcharit Manas, Modi said there were some who only accept "lies" and share these with other people.

"For these very people, the defence ministry, the defence minister, officers of the Indian Air Force, government of France, are all lies...now the Supreme Court also appears to be a liar to them," Modi said in his 50-minute address, of which nearly 30 minutes were dedicated to the Rafale deal.

Asked about Modi comments, Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said the remark should be taken seriously only if they are made by a person who speaks the truth.

"Our Prime Minister started his day in PM office by speaking a lie, working with malice and criticising Congress leaders.

"Some of such statements by the Prime Minister are providing 2 crore jobs and putting Rs 15 lakh in every citizen's account. A person who does not have truth in his DNA and has an old enmity with truth can never speak the truth", he said.

Earlier during the day Sharma had urged the Supreme Court to recall its Rafale judgment and issue notices to the central government for contempt of court and perjury, alleging the Centre had provided false information to the apex court.

"We demand that the Supreme Court immediately recall that judgment which is void. It would be in the interest of the dignity of the Supreme Court to do so, because this entire episode has dented the dignity of the highest court which cannot be allowed," he told reporters, adding that what has happened is unacceptable.

In his address, Modi said the truth will eventually triumph over the tendency to "speak lies".

"There are two facets before the country...one is of the government which is making every possible effort toaugment the strength of the defence forces, and the second isof those forces which want to weaken the country at everycost," he said.

This was Modi's first public meeting that took place in Sonia Gandhi'sturf after the BJP lost the three heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the Congress andits allies.

Charging that previous defence deals were tainted, he alleged that history of the Congress in terms of such deals "belongsto (Italian businessman Ottavio) Quattrochi mama".

Referring to the AgustaWestland chopper case, he said,"We have brought one uncle Christian Michel to India a fewdays back."
Noting that after the Kargil conflict, there was aneed for modern aircraft, the Prime Minister said, "TheCongress ruled the country for ten years, but it did not allow the air force to get strengthened. Why? And under whosepressure?"
At Allahabad, ahead of the Kumbh Mela beginning January 15, the prime minister asked people to "beware of parties pretending to stand for democracy."
The Prime Minister said "recently we have seen that how they made an effort to bring a proposal of