‘Have You No Shame?’: Rahul, Mayawati Slam Modi For Rafale Remarks

Rahul Gandhi said that Modi himself was responsible for the delay in the arrival of the Rafale jets to India.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his comments on the Rafale aircraft, Congress President Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to say that Modi himself was responsible for the delay in the arrival of the Rafale jets to India and he is the reason why brave IAF pilots like Wing Commander Abhinandan are risking their lives.

‘Not One Rafale Inducted in Your Rule'

BSP chief Mayawati also slammed the Modi government over Rafale and asked why even a single Rafale fighter was not inducted in the IAF during its rule.

"Rafale fighter could have proven useful in the fight against Pakistan, claims PM Modi in his rallies. Even then not a single Rafale inducted into IAF fleet during his government. Better explain to people why this kind of lapse and neglect even by the BJP on the issue of country's safety and security?" Mayawati said in a tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while delivering the keynote address of the 18th edition of the India Today Conclave on Saturday, 2 March, had said that the entire country is feeling the absence of Rafale fighter jet aircraft and wondered what could have happened if the IAF had the fighter planes.

“The country is feeling the absence of Rafale. The entire country is saying in one voice today what all could have happened if we had Rafale. The country has suffered a lot due to selfish interests earlier and now politics over Rafale,” Modi said.

“One of the challenges before the country is some people opposing their own country. When the entire nation today is standing with the armed forces, some parties are casting doubts on them,” he said.

He said that India's unity has scared many within the country and outside.

Modi said, "I can say with full confidence that the 21st century belongs to India."

Modi began his address by telling the audience that he was an outsider when he came to Delhi in 2014 and it took him time to figure out how things work at the Centre.

Seemingly taking a dig at dynastic politics, Modi said:

“There were questions about what will happen to our foreign policies. There was nothing wrong in raising these questions. It was only natural. It was also not like I had deep family background in the political circles or had six family members in power.”

Thanking soldiers’ contribution towards India’s security, he said every drop of a soldier’s blood is precious and that no one will dare threaten India anymore.

“Now, no one will dare raise their eyes against India. India is following new strategies. The world is understanding India. Today's India is fearless and decisive.”

"If you want to oppose Modi, do so, but but do not oppose national interests. They should take care that their anti-Modi obsession does not help terrorists like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed," he said at the gathering.

(With inputs from PTI)