This Article is From Nov 16, 2019

"Apologise To Country": BJP Protests Against Rahul Gandhi Over Rafale

Rahul Gandhi had been critical of the Modi government over the deal to purchase 36 fighter jets from France's Dassault Aviation.

'Apologise To Country': BJP Protests Against Rahul Gandhi Over Rafale

Chandrakant Patil said Rahul Gandhi's allegations had brought ignominy to the country.

Mumbai:

Armed with the Supreme Court's ruling on the Rafale deal, BJP activists on Saturday staged a protest here seeking an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Mr Gandhi had been critical of the Modi government over the deal to purchase 36 fighter jets from France's Dassault Aviation.

The protest was held as part of the BJP plan to hold nationwide demonstrations on the issue.

On the occasion, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said Rahul Gandhi's allegations had brought ignominy to the country.

He said Mr Gandhi's apology to the Supreme Court for dragging its name in the political discourse on Rafale is not enough.

"They (Gandhi and the Congress) tried to humiliate the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has given the country a place of pride in the world, only out of their self-interest. They brought ignominy to India in the world," Mr Patil said.

"Apologising before the court alone won't suffice. Gandhi and the Congress should apologise to the country," he added.

The protesters raised slogans against the former Congress president calling him a "thief".

In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections this year, Rahul Gandhi had raised the Rafale issue aggressively.

He often targeted the PM with his "chowkidar chor hai" jibe over the purchase of Rafale jets.

Mr Patil said the Central government struck the Rafale deal to strengthen the national security.

The top court on Thursday gave a clean chit to the Modi government on the purchase of 36 fully-loaded Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation, rejecting the petitions seeking review of its last year order.

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