PANAJI: The probe into the “missing” Rafale papers should start from Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who had claimed the files related to the deal were with him, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said today while addressing party workers in Goa.
Manohar Parrikar was Defence Minister when India signed the Rafale deal with France. The Centre has told the Supreme Court that some documents related to the multi-billion contract have been “stolen”.
Taking potshots at the BJP-led ruling coalition in Goa, Rahul Gandhi said like the government has “disappeared” in the coastal state, the Rafale files too have gone missing.
“Manohar Parrikar had told the Cabinet that the Rafale files are with him,” Rahul Gandhi said referring to a purported audio conversation between Goa minister Vishwajit Rane and an unidentified caller that had references to the deal.
“(Prime Minister) Narendra Modi cannot remove me from the chief minister’s post. The day he removes me, I will show the files. If files have gone missing then probe Parrikar,” Rahul Gandhi quoted from the audio tape.
Rahul Gandhi said Manohar Parrikar, who quit as Defence Minister and became Goa Chief Minister in 2017, had told international media that he was not aware of the new Rafale contract.
Quoting from a news report on Rafale in one of the national dailies, the Congress president launched an attack on PM Modi, saying, “Hindustan ke chowkidar ne parallel negotiations kiya.”
