Rafale deal will be BJP’s Archilles’ Heel: Salman Khurshid
The Rafale fighter aircraft deal with France will prove to be the BJP’s Achilles’ heel, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid today said.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the “Difficult Dialogues” conference on gender issues here, Khurshid repeated his party’s demand the government reveal the details of the deal.
One can understand if strategic dimensions are kept secret, he said, “There can be no secrecy on how much an aircraft is purchased for.”
The Congress has been attacking the BJP-led Centre over the issue, claiming the deal negotiated under the UPA was cheaper than the one signed by the current dispensation to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets from France at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore.
The Congress has also been alleging that “political corruption” was involved in the deal.
“Our allegations over the Rafale deal are justified and this will be the Achilles’ Heel of the BJP,” Khurshid said.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has sought time in the Lok Sabha to speak on the issue, the former Union minister said.
The defence ministry recently termed as “unfounded” the allegations made by the Congress about the deal, asserting the demand to disclose details such as its value was “unrealistic” …read more
