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Rahul attacks PM for his ‘silence’ on deal

Hindustan Times, Amethi | By, Amethi
Sep 25, 2018 12:28 PM IST

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his continuing ‘silence’ on the Rafale deal, saying “desh ka chowkidar chori kar gaya”.

Amethi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his continuing ‘silence’ on the Rafale deal, saying “desh ka chowkidar chori kar gaya” (country’s chowkidar has indulged in a theft).

Rahul was addressing a gathering on the first day of a two-day visit to his constituency here after launching some development projects that he had funded with his MPLAD fund.

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After being accorded a warm welcome as a ‘Shiv Bhakta’, Rahul said: “Let me tell you the story of the chowkidar. It’s very interesting. The UPA government had decided to buy 126 Rafale fighters for 526 crore each… HAL had to make fighter planes. This contract was snatched away from HAL and given to a private company. Local youths could have got jobs in the HAL situated here. Thousands of other youths could have got jobs in Karnataka that has the HAL factory. Our engineers (HAL’s) would have made the fighter planes and the country would have been benefitted,”

Rahul said the price tag attached to the Rafale fighters was increased nearly three times from 526 crore to 1,600 crore by the NDA government. And this has benefitted a private company, he said.

After this Rahul shouted “chowkidar” and stopped for a while. At this point some people from the crowd shouted “chor hai”. Rahul, however, said “chowkidar choaunk gaya” (chaukidaar was taken by surprise).

The Congress chief quoted former France president Francois Hollande’s observations on the issue to make his point that “the PM himself had given the contract to a private company.” The private company has been benefitted by 30,000 crore, he said.

Rahul said the PM should clarify as to why the cost of Rafale fighters went up from 526 crore to 1,600 crore, why HAL was deprived of the contract that was given to a private company formed 10 days ago.

Rahul asked a policeman how action was taken against the police if a criminal escaped from their custody, and then said the BJP government had allowed Vijay Mallaya, Lalit Modi, Neerav Modi and Mehul Chauksi to leave the country and no action was taken against anyone.

Rahul also referred to the promises made to the people in 2014 Lok Sabha election and said the PM had failed to keep the promises.

He asked the people to vote out the BJP led governments at the Centre and in the state, saying the people should bring the Congress back to power to bring about development in the country.

As this was Rahul’s first visit to Amethi after his Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, saffron clad members of “Kanwar Sangh” had assembled at Nahar Kothi -- the entry point to his constituency -- near Fursatganj airport to welcome him.

He was given a memento after he performed a brief ‘puja’ amid shouts of ‘Bum Bum Bhole’.

Although Rahul stopped at a number of places as the people gathered to welcome him, his first stop was Jais. He also addressed party men and interacted with members of a self-help group.

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