The political row over the Rafale deal escalated on Tuesday with the Congress dismissing as "manufactured lies" claims by the Dassault CEO that there was no wrong-doing and party Chief Rahul Gandhi firing a fresh salvo at PM Narendra Modi. Party leaders Randeep Surjewala and Anand Sharma joined Gandhi in accusing the government of a "cover-up".

The nation needs a "fair probe" and not "doctored explanations" on the fighter jet deal, Congress Chief Spokesperson Surjewala said. He was responding to Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier's defence of the contract in a media interview. Trappier has claimed no wrongdoing in the '58,000 crore deal asserting it was a "clean deal".