Rahul Gandhi: Taxpayers will pay Rs 1 lakh crore

Rahul Gandhi has also demanded that the PM to break his silence over the issue. Pics/PTI

Congress president Rahul Gandhi yesterday stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the tax payers would have to pay Rs 1 lakh crore over the next 50 years to "Mr 56's friend" for maintaining the 36 Rafale aircrafts that the country was buying. Gandhi has been taking a swipe at Modi using the "56-inch-chest" remark that the latter had made at elections rallies in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress had also been questioning the prime minister about when he would show that "broad chest" while dealing with Pakistan and China.

"Over the next 50 years, Indian Tax Payers will pay Mr 56's friend's JV, 1,00,000 crore to maintain 36 RafaleScam jets, India is buying," he tweeted.
The Congress chief attached an investor presentation of Reliance Infrastructure, saying there was "truth" in it, which would soon be denied "as usual" by Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a press conference.

Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi had alleged yesterday that "Mr 56's friend" would actually benefit "$20 billion", equivalent to R1.30 lakh crore, through offset contracts in the Rafale deal. The Congress has been attacking the BJP government over the Rafale deal, alleging favouritism in granting the contract to Reliance Defence. It had accused Modi and Sitharaman of "lying".

Omar Abdullah on 'federal front'
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah lauded the efforts by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to bring the opposition parties together and said they will only be successful if the Congress takes the fight to the BJP. He said the opposition parties are also discussing TMC chief Mamata Banerjee's proposal for a "federal front" under which the regional parties will unite to take on the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Accept Imran Khan's friendship: Mufti to PM
Former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti yesterday appealed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept the "hand of friendship" extended by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan for ending bloodshed in the state. Khan, in his first public address after his party to victory in the general elections, had said Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the "core issue" of Kashmir, through talks.

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