Rafale Deal India issue: Congress President Rahul Gandhi today challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a debate on the Rafale aircraft deal issue. The Congress has raised several questions on the Rafale deal, accusing the government of compromising with national interests. "...let a debate happen between me and Narendra Modi on Rafael deal... I will speak at length for hours," Gandhi said at "Jana Dwani" (people's voice) rally organised by the state Congress here in north Karnataka.


In a scathing attack on the Modi government, Gandhi said, "Chowkidar Hi Bhaagidar Hai. (This watchman is a collaborator)," and accused the prime minister of "stealing" taxpayers' money and giving it to his "friend" whose firm he alleged had bagged a contract in the Rafale deal.

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Focussing most part of his speech on attacking Modi, the Congress chief charged, he was "not the prime minister of the country but he is the prime minister of 15 super rich businessmen." India had inked an inter-governmental agreement with France in September last year for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore.

Gandhi also hit out Modi on incidents of rapes and said, the prime minister gave the slogan of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' but he did not say from whom the girl child be saved. "Rape happens in Uttar Pradesh and BJP leader is caught. When small girls in Bihar are raped, we see BJP leaders hanging around there. However, the prime minister does not speak a word on it," he said.