New Delhi, July 21 (UNI) Union Minister and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Saturday said Congress
president Rahul Gandhi has "lowered" his own credibility at the world stage by "concocting" his meeting
and conversation on Rafale deal with French President Emmanuel Macron.
"Rahul Gandhi, by concocting a conversation with President Macron, has lowered his own credibility
and seriously hurt the image of an Indian politician before the world at large," Mr Jaitley wrote in an article
posted on Facebook.
"Not to be aware of the fact that the UPA Government Minister had signed the secrecy pact is not understandable," he wrote.
The strong words from the BJP leader come a day after in a virtual snub, the French government issued a statement stating: "France and India concluded in 2008 a Security agreement, which legally binds the two states to protect the classified information provided by the partner, that could impact security and operational capabilities of the defence equipment of India or France".
The statement from the French spokesperson of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs came after in a high-decibel debate in Lok Sabha on No Trust Motion, Mr Gandhi had said that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had misled the country earlier by stating that details of the pact could not be made public as there was an agreement between France and India.
Mr Jaitley points out in rather details in his article that Rahul Gandhi's "lack of understanding" is not only
confined to basic issues "but also to the niceties of protocol".
"One should never misquote a conversation with a Head of Government or a Head of State. You do it once,
serious people will be reluctant to speak to you or speak in your presence," writes senior BJP leader.
Mr Jaitley further says that the Congress president has sought to "embarrass" former Prime Minister
Dr Manmohan Singh "by implicitly insinuating that Dr Singh was a witness to the conversation being
wholly unaware that his own Government had entered into the secrecy pact".
"Rahul has repeatedly shown that he is ignorant of facts. But to insist on disclosure of financial details,
which indirectly involves the disclosures of the strategic equipment on the aircraft, is to hurt national interest.
Cost gives away a clue to the weaponry in the aircraft," writes Mr Jaitley, who also held the portfolio of Defence in 2014 and for a brief period later.
UNI DEVN ADG 1451