‘Gayab hogaya’ is BJP’s new line, says Congress

Ridiculing the Centre’s stand in the Supreme Court that the Rafale papers were stolen, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has said “gayab hogaya” (disappearance) has become the “new line” of the BJP-led government.

The Amethi MP said all the promises made by the BJP during the last elections have now disappeared. “Promise of two crore jobs for unemployed youth has disappeared. Fair remuneration for farmers disappeared. ₹15 lakh for every citizen disappeared. Small and medium industries disappeared due to demonetisation and GST. Doklam disappeared and now the Rafale files disappeared,” he said while addressing a press conference here on Thursday.

He said the documents released by The Hindu have clearly established that the Prime Minister’s Office was holding parallel negotiations with Dassault Aviationon on the purchase of Rafale aircraft, yet there’s no probe against the person who is responsible for the alleged corruption. “The government is trying to protect Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said, and added that justice should be for all. “The government is accepting that the disappeared documents are genuine. Papers make it clear that Modi was holding parallel negotiations,” he added.

When asked about the BJP’s allegation that the Opposition is trying to help Pakistan, he said Modi is the poster boy of Pakistan. “The Prime Minister has gotten ISI to investigate Pathankot. He is going to Nawaz Sharif’s family wedding and we are (the ones portrayed as) the poster boys. He is the poster boy of Pakistan. The fact of the matter is that the issue here is corruption in Rafale, and it is very clear that Modi has handed over ₹30,000 crore to Anil Ambani,” he said.

Role of The Hindu

Congratulating The Hindu , he said the newspaper is being called out as punishment. “I would like to comment that you ( The Hindu ) are being punished because you are brave. I am very proud that you have the guts to stand against Narendra Modi,” he added.

The other opposition parties too condemned the Centre’s stand in the Supreme Court. “What farce is going on in the country? Documents are being stolen from the Ministry of Defence itself. This is a very dangerous situation for the country,” tweeted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “What would the government say on this? Who is the hidden person behind this? There must be an enquiry into it,” she added.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury urged the Centre to make all Rafale documents public. “The government’s response to the damning revelations made by official documents published in the media has been only to shut out information. Now that it has confirmed the veracity of these documents, it must bring out all the documents on the Rafale deal to the public domain,” he said, and reiterated the demand for a White Paper and a JPC on the matter.

“The Modi government made a sensational disclosure in the SC that secret documents pertaining to the Rafale deal were stolen from the Defence Ministry. Very strange and irresponsible chowkidari . Is national security and interest in the safe hands? Think long and loud,” tweeted BSP president Mayawati.

“First, there were parallel negotiations. Then the files were stolen. Meanwhile in Uttar Pradesh, MP-MLA used shoes for dispute resolution at a meeting to discuss development. Now, BJP workers are asking their leaders as to which campaign is on? The ‘ jhoot ’ and the ‘boot’ or the youth and the booth?” SP leader Akhilesh Yadav said in Lucknow.

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