Rahul challenges PM to answer questions on Rafale

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence and come clean on the Rafale fighter plane deal.

Gandhi was addressing a public meeting at Baikunthpur near Rewa before wrapping up his two-day visit to the poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

"Now, I throw a challenge to Narendra Modiji. Answer these questions. The French president who signed Rafale deal with you is saying that you helped Anil Ambani to get the deal," he said.

He then asked, "Why did you facilitate the deal for a company indebted with Rs 45,000 crore? Why did you buy a fighter aircraft for Rs 1600 crore which cost Rs 526 crore?"
Gandhi said Modi gives a lot of speeches and added, "Spare some time to answer these questions. Give your clarification."
He asked the prime minister to "tell the public that you are a 'chowikidar' (watchman) and I have not indulged in theft."
He went on to add, "You (PM) won't answer these queries as you have helped your friend Anil Ambani bag Rs 30,000 crore deal and the country knows that Narendra Modi speaks lies one after another on the stage. And Narendra Modiji's intention is not clear."