Sonia, Rahul owe apology on Rafale issue: Union minister

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 17

Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Manmohan Singh for compromising the security of the nation and lowering the morale of the Army.

Addressing the media on the Rafale issue, Nadda said Congress statements on Rafale was a classic case of purposeful propaganda. “The Congress is guilty of spreading wrong perception, raising questions on the security of the nation and lowering the morale of the Army,” he remarked.

Launching a counter attack on the Congress, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said the Congress must reveal as to why it delayed the Rafale deal when it was at the healm. “Was there delay because they were unable to find a middleman and get a commission,” he quipped.

The minister said no other political party had ever tried to mislead the nation on such a sensitive issue like defence. “It is not a hidden fact that as to which political party has been threatening judiciary with impeachment,” he said when asked if Congress was trying to pressurize the judiciary.

He said the Rafale deal by the Modi-led NDA regime was a government-to-government deal and there was no middleman like Quattrochi involved. “The Supreme Court has given a clean chit to the Modi regime. This clearly stated that all systems and procedures have been followed and the aircraft quality and need is unquestionable,” he said

Replying to query on questions being raised by the Congress on misinforming the Supreme Court on CAG report, Nadda said this was merely an error of words.

On Sajjan Kumar being held guilty for the 1984 riots, Nadda said it was not the indictment of an individual, but of the entire Congress party. “This shows for the last 30 years, the Congress has tried to throttle all inquiries to delay the process,” he said.