Rahul, Congress should apologise: BJP on Rafale

The BJP on Thursday came down heavily on Congress after Supreme Court rejected review petition on Rafale deal, demanding an apology from its top leader Rahul Gandhi while accusing him and his party of mounting a "deeply suspicious campaign" at the behest of those who lost the deal.

Union Home Minister and party president Amit Shah said the Supreme Court decision was a "befitting reply" to those leaders and parties who rely on "malicious and baseless campaigns".

"Today’s decision yet again reaffirms Modi government’s credentials as a govt which is transparent and corruption-free. Now, it has been proved that the disruption of Parliament over Rafale was a sham. The time could have been better utilised for the welfare of people. After today's rebuke from SC, Congress and its leader, for whom politics is above national interest must apologise to the nation," Shah tweeted.

Follow the Supreme Court's judgement on the Rafale deal here

Addressing a press conference hours after the verdict, senior BJP leader and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that a party whose hands are completely stained in corruption and those who have played with the security of the country was presenting a "sponsored political programme" in the court with a plea of justice but has been exposed.

He said Congress and Rahul need to apologise to the country as they have lost thrice in the case, the first being in December last year in Supreme Court, then in the Lok Sabha election where they made Rafale a campaign theme and again now in the review.

"Congress lied, campaigned against our honest Prime Minister, tried to tarnish India's reputation abroad. That is why today Rahul Gandhi needs to apologise to the country," Prasad said.

He also said that the nation wants to know at whose behest did Rahul unleash the campaign against Rafale. "This campaign is shrouded in deeply suspicious circumstances. Congress has a history of taking a sub-contract in defence contracts. The campaign was to help those who lost in tender and who wanted to delay the acquisition," he said.

Referring to the Supreme Court not invoking contempt proceedings against Rahul, the BJP leader said that he was let off only because he apologised for misquoting the Supreme Court. "Rahul quoted the Supreme Court as saying that the Prime Minister is a thief. There's no bigger lie than this, and today, it was proven in the Supreme Court," he said.

Prasad alleged that Rahul lied on the deal not once and he even made false statements in Parliament. "He made statements about former French President Francois Hollande. When he lost to the Supreme Court, he made it his main issue in the Lok Sabha elections and Rahul even said that the Supreme Court has called our popular and honest leader a thief. Gandhi also lied in the Parliament that the current French President Emmanuel Macron, had allowed him to disclose details of the deal," he said.