New Delhi, Oct 11 (UNI) Launching a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the rafale deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that the PM was acting as the ‘chowkidar’ of industrialist Anil Ambani and demanded his resignation for his direct involvement in the deal.

Addressing a hurriedly called press conference here, the Congress president, referring to a recent statement by a senior executive of the Rafale company that the PM had asked that Rs 30000 cr compensation be paid to Anil Ambani as a prerequisite for the deal between the two countries, said, ’’the statement by the senior executive of the Rafale company, coming close on the heels of the statement made by former France President Francois Hollande, shows that PM is the 'Chowkidar' (gatekeeper) of Anil Ambani. Now it has been proved that the PM, who came to power in 2014 on the plank of removing corruption, is himself corrupt.

The statements shows that rafale is a clear case of corruption. I want to tell this country’s youth that our Prime Minister is a corrupt man. We have asked for a probe by the joint parliamentary committee in the matter. The PM has indulged in corruption and it should also be investigated.’’

He said the PM should either come clear on the matter or resign.

Mr Gandhi said that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s sudden visit to France confirmed his allegation. 'It is clear that the Defence Minister has gone to France to put pressure on the rafale company. The matter is being covered up,' he said. The Defence Minister left for Paris on Wednesday night.

“What was the emergency to visit France now?”, Mr Gandhi said. Earlier a section of French media reported that it has the possession of internal documents of Dassault in which the company said that they were told during the signing of the deal that it was “imperative and mandatory” to align with Anil Ambani’s company to get the fighter jet deal. However, the company denied the allegation. The 36 Rafale aircraft deal was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to France in 2015, after cancelling the previous UPA government’s deal to purchase 126 Rafale aircraft. However, the controversy got momentum when former French President Francois Hollande revealed that it was India that had suggested Anil Ambani’s firm as the offset partner.
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