Macron didn't oppose Hollande's claim on Rafale: Reddy

Senior Congress leader Jaipal Reddy on Thursday alleged French President Emmanuel Macron did not contradict Francois Hollande's claim on Rafale deal which was tantamount to the confirmation of his predecessor's claim.

Noting that the "Rafale scam has begin to stink and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has begin to sink", Reddy said India has had a very good relationship with France and "when a former French president says something, this country needs to sit up and take notice".

Reddy claimed the prime minister is getting caught or sandwiched between international revelations and internal disclosures.

He alleged Anil Ambani's company was taken as an offset partner because of the pressure from Government of India and it was so intense that the French authorities were left with no choice.

"It is for the first time that the present French president Macron while answering a specific question avoided the question. He simply said I was not incharge at that time. In other words, he did not contradict the version of former French president Hollande," he claimed.

"The point we would like to highlight is this consistent non-contradiction by the current French authorities which is absolutely tantamount to confirmation on the facts mentioned by the former president," he claimed.

"The non-contraction by the current president of France is equivalent to an international revelation," he added.

Reddy said Modi owed an explanation to the nation about the statement made by the former president of France on Ambani's company.