Even as Dassault CEO's gives categorical rebuttal, Rahul Gandhi picks up his attack on PM Modi over the Rafale Deal

A day after Union government submitted details of its decision-making process in the Rafale deal and stated that all the requisite steps were followed, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday stepped up his attack on the Government and claimed that ' the PM Modi did not consult the Air Force before changing the contract'. Taking to Twitter, Mr Gandhi wrote the following in Hindi:

"Modi Ji accepted his wrongdoing in Supreme Court. In an affidavit, the Prime Minister has accepted that he did not consult the Air Force before changing the Rafale contract and filled Ambani's pocket with Rs 30,000 crores. This is just the beginning".

This attack comes minutes after Dassault CEO Eric Trappier, in a tell-all interview with ANI's Smita Prakash, gave out a comprehensive background of the deal struck between France and India for 36 Rafale aircraft.

Read: Congress Dismisses Dassault CEO Eric Trappier's Rebuttal, Alleges 'Manufactured Lies'

The Congress on Tuesday dismissed rebuttal of Dassault Aviation Chief Executive Officer Eric Trappier and termed it as ‘Manufactured Lies’. Congress spokesperson Randeep Sujewala released a video and gave out the following message:

"Fixed match between the Bhartiya Janata Party and Dassault Aviation will not hide the Rafale scam. The PR stunt that Eric Trappier and Prime Minister Modi are doing will not cover up the layers of Corruption in the Rafale deal. Dictated interviews and manufactured lies cannot cover up corruption in the Rafale deal. The first rule of Law is mutual beneficiaries and co-accused’s statements hold no value. The second rule is beneficiaries and accused can’t be judge in their own case .Truth has a way of coming out. Mr Modi the Nation does not want a doctored explanation it wants fair investigation through JPC into the Rafale scam".

Rahul Gandhi, in a press conference on November 2, alleged that Dassault invested Rs 284 crore in a loss-making company promoted by Anil Ambani which was used to procure land in Nagpur.

"It is clear the Dassault CEO is lying. If an inquiry starts on this Modi is not going to survive it. Guaranteed," Gandhi had said.

Read: 'My Decision To Go With Reliance On Rafale. Between The Brothers It's A Big Group And We've Been Talking Since 2011', Says Dassault CEO Eric Trappier Who Is Convinced That India Followed Procedure

When asked to respond to Rahul Gandhi's Eric Trappier dismissed the allegations levelled at him and clearly stated:

"I don't lie. The truth I declared before and the statements I made are true. I don't have a reputation for lying. In my position as CEO, you don't lie". 

"We have a long experience with the Congress party. Our first deal was with India in 1953 with Nehru and other Prime Ministers. We have been working with India. We are not working for any party. We are supplying strategic products like fighters to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Government. That is what is most important", he added.