LIVE UPDATES: Rahul-Jaitley face off in Parliament over Rafale deal

New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi attacked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday for evading questions on Rafale deal in a 'staged interview' conducted by a news agency yesterday. He also hit out at the Defence Minister for being unable to answer and "hiding" behind the AIADMK members in the Lok Sabha who were raising slogans over the Cauvery river dam issue. Gandhi said the AIADMK members by not allowing him to speak in the Parliament was doing a service to the Prime Minister and also protecting him. Gandhi was disallowed from playing an audio tape of Goa’s health minister Vishwajit Rane in which he was allegedly heard as saying that Goa CM and former defence minister Manohar Parrikar has "all the Rafale files in his bedroom and is holding the government to ransom". Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the tape needs to be authenticated first. Further, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley jumped to the government's defence and in his rebuttal said, "Last time the MP (Rahul Gandhi) spoke on Rafale, he lied before the nation by concocting a conversation between him and the French President." Combating the Opposition's attack on PM Modi, Jaitley said, "Congress doesn't understand national security but knows only paisa... If the fingers point at you in AugustaWestland, National Herald and Bofors, then it is a bit too much. Today, they have the audacity to raise an allegation against us." He rejected in Lok Sabha the Congress demand for a JPC probe into Rafale deal.

02/01/2019 16:28:52

Arvind Sawant,Shiv Sena in Lok Sabha: Kaisa offset contractor tha ki jiski company nahi thi abhi, sirf kaghaz pe thi, jab ki HAL ke paas sab tha. Hamari sarkar agar saaf hai to hum kyun darrte hain JPC se?

02/01/2019 15:01:20

Lok Sabha adjourned till 3:30 pm

02/01/2019 14:41:58

The country is disappointed because every word he has said is belied in the face of the Supreme Court. Some people have a natural dislike to truth : Arun Jaitley

02/01/2019 14:27:38

Last time the MP (Rahul Gandhi) spoke on Rafale, he lied before the nation by concocting a conversation between him and the French President: Arun Jaitley in Lok Sabha

02/01/2019 14:26:45

UPA was buying an aircraft at Rs 526 cr, but when Modi went to France a new deal emerged at Rs 1600 cr per aircraft, why was there a price change?: Rahul Gandhi

02/01/2019 14:26:06

I would like to play a recording in which a minister is clearly involved: Congress president Rahul Gandhi but was disallowed by Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan. She asked him to authenticate the tape first.

02/01/2019 14:24:58

Air Force wanted 126 aircraft, then why did this demand changed to 36. Did the Air Force change its requirement?: Rahul Gandhi

02/01/2019 14:23:40

If you needed the aircraft urgently, why hasn't even one Rafale aircraft landed in the country until today. PM, you changed the old deal and replaced with the new deal: Congress President Rahul Gandhi

02/01/2019 14:23:30

It is a tragedy that our friends in AIADMK who are representing Tamil Nadu are not allowing the debate on Rafale and are protecting the PM. This is a disservice: Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha

Background

Earlier, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha saw repeated adjournments on Wednesday morning as AIADMK and DMK members protested over the Cauvery river dam issue while many Congress MPs raised slogans for a JPC probe into the Rafale fighter jet deal. The AIADMK members trooped into the Well of the House and raised slogans demanding justice. The Tamil Nadu parties are protesting against the proposed Mekedatu dam in Karnataka on Cauvery, claiming that it will affect farmers in their state. While the House was adjourned twice during the Zero Hour, it was again adjourned till 2 PM during the Question Hour, despite assurances by the government that Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari would make a statement on the issue. The House was first adjourned for 15 minutes at around 11.25 am and again till noon. When it met again during question hour, it was adjourned within minutes till 2 pm. As AIADMK members, who were joined by those of the DMK during Question Hour, shouted slogans of "We want justice", the Congress members were on their feet raising the slogan "We want JPC". The protests started soon after Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu made a fervent appeal for smooth functioning of the House as only four working days were left in the current Winter session and many important bills and discussions were pending. The Rajya Sabha has faced repeated disruptions on various issue and not transacted any substantial business since it met on December 11 for the Winter session. "People are ridiculing us," Naidu said, referring to repeated adjournments in the Upper House because of disruptions. Naidu expressed anguish that the image of the House was "taking a beating" and warned that action could be taken against members protesting in the Well. He "earnestly" requested members to co-operate in clearing the bills and taking up discussions on issues like Rafale deal, agrarian crisis, price rise and cyclones in some states. Naidu said action would be taken against members protesting in the Well, if there is consensus in the House. However, he added that action would be against all members who troop into the Well. "It cannot be selective". During the Question Hour, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said Lok Sabha is functioning, but Rajya Sabha is unable to do any business. "The Chairman is very concerned with your issue and that is why he has called the minister concerned to talk to you. Please allow him to talk to you. He is at a function and left it and is coming here. He will talk to you soon," he said. "You are not allowing the House to function. The entire country is watching that the House has not functioned since last 11th. The minister is coming, please wait," the deputy chairman again said while making an appeal to the protesting members to allow the House to function. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel also said, "I request the AIADMK members that after talks with them, we have already asked Minister Nitin Gadkari to talk to you and make a statement in the House. Please allow the House to function." However, the unrelenting AIADMK members first raised slogans from their seats and then entered the Well. They also displayed placards on Cauvery issue. They were later joined by DMK members in the Well and amid the din the house was adjourned till 2 pm by the Deputy Chairman. (With PTI inputs)