Corruption charge in Rafale deal was to 'malign' PM's clean image, Cong should apologise: Rajnath

Slamming the Congress after the Supreme Court dismissed Rafale case review petitions, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the allegations of corruption were aimed at maligning the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded an apology from the party.

The Supreme Court on Thursday gave a clean chit to the Narendra Modi government in the Rafale fighter jets deal case, saying review petitions were without merit.

The court rejected pleas which had sought re-examination of its December 14, 2018 verdict which said there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets.

"The allegation of corruption in Rafale deal was nothing but an attempt to malign the clean and honest image of PM Narendra Modi and his government. The people of India will not forgive the Congress for their slanderous campaign and calumny. The Congress should apologise for misleading the people," he said while attending the Maitree Diwas celebrations at Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

Maitree Diwas (Civil-Military Friendship Day) will be celebrated for two days at Gyalwa Tsangyang Gyatso High Altitude Stadium in Tawang.

"The allegations made by certain political parties and their leaders in Rafale jet purchase were extremely unfortunate, unwarranted and laced with malicious intent. The verdict has rightly cautioned such politicians to be careful while making wild allegations," he said.

He said the purchase of Rafale jets was done in a completely transparent manner, keeping in mind the urgency to update and upgrade India's defence preparedness.

"The issues pertaining to defence preparedness and national security should never be politicised. I wholeheartedly welcome the Supreme Court's categorical dismissal of the review petitions in the Rafale case and with this pronouncement the NDA government stands vindicated. The SC verdict is also a judgement on our government's transparency in decision making," he said.

Singh also said that the "apshabd" (abuses) used against the PM hurt the sentiments of the people of the country.

"Any PM - belonging to any party - is not a person but an institution. Some people tried their level best to defame this institution too. I would like to say, especially to Congress persons, that they tried to defame the PM on this matter. They have used apshabd (abuses).

"I would say that whatever kind of apshabd (abuses) that were used against PM must have hurt people who believe in healthy democracy," he said.

He said that the decision on the case has come and now things are "crystal clear".

"Those people who tried to mislead people, and used apshabd (abuses) not once but multiple times, they should apologize. Otherwise, this country will not forgive them," he said.

The Supreme Court Thursday gave clean chit to the Modi government on the purchase of 36 fully loaded Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault Aviation, rejecting the plea for registration of an FIR by the CBI for alleged commission of cognisable offence in the deal.

The apex court dismissed the pleas seeking review of the December 14, 2018 verdict in which it had said that there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets.