Sitharaman calls newspaper report on Rafale Deal 'motivated', says Congress ‘flogging a dead horse’

Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday came out in support of Prime Minister Modi by strongly rejecting a newspaper report, which claimed that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) allegedly ran a parallel negotiation on the Rafale fighter jet deal with France alongside the Defence Ministry.

Nirmala Sitharaman (Source: PTI)

New Delhi: Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday came out strongly in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by strongly rejecting a newspaper report, which claimed that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) allegedly ran a parallel negotiation on the Rafale fighter jet deal with France alongside the Defence Ministry. Speaking in Lok Sabha over the issue, Sitharaman called the report ''motivated'' and accused the Congress of blowing the matter out of proportion ''The then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar ji had replied to that MoD note. He had said that remain calm, nothing to worry, everything is going all right. Now, what do you call the NAC led by Sonia Gandhi's interference in earlier PMO? What was that?'' Sitharaman asked. Rubbishing the report on the PMO interference on Rafale deal, the Defence Minister said, ''it is like flogging a dead horse.'' and accused the opposition of playing into the hands of multinational companies and foreign interests. Sitharaman also lashed out on the Congress-led Opposition, which reiterated its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe to reveal the truth. ''Opposition is playing into hands of multinationals and vested interests,'' the Defence Minister said in Lok Sabha. Sitharaman said the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had replied to the letter asking the official to remain "calm" as everything was "alright". Sitharaman also alleged that the then Chairperson of the National Advisory Council Sonia Gandhi used to run the PMO regularly during the UPA regime. Áccording to ANI, in his reply, the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had said, "Defence Secretary (G Mohan) may resolve the matter in consultation with Principal Secretary to PM"