Facing a dipping number of fighter jets in India, PM Modi signed an SOS deal. In 2016, an inter-governmental deal was signed with France to purchase "ready-made" 36 Rafale aircraft from Dassault aviation.
New Delhi: A replica of the Rafale fighter jet has been set up outside Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa's official residence in Delhi, bang opposite the Congress headquarters.
The Congress has been so relentless in its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal that it termed the entire deal a scam. The Congress president made it an electoral issue and even coined a derogatory term "Chowkidar chor hai" after PM Modi called himself the "Chowkidar" of the country.
Interestingly, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa's squadron during the Kargil war in 1999 will have the first set of Rafale jets when they are delivered to India. The first Rafale jet is likely to be handed over to the Indian Air Force this September.
Facing a dipping number of fighter jets in India, PM Modi signed an SOS deal. In 2016, he signed an inter-governmental deal with France to purchase "ready-made" 36 Rafale aircraft from Dassault aviation.
Rahul Gandhi cried "scam" over the fact UPA signed for a deal of 126 jets. Congress also raised a hue and cry over Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Defence being selected as an offset partner to the Dassault Aviation.
The NDA government, however, explained Reliance Defence is one among the many offset partners which are selected by Dassault and not India.
The price difference was also explained in greater detail from multiple forums. When the matter was raised in the Supreme Court, On December 14, 2018, it had dismissed all petitions seeking a court-monitored probe into the deal. The apex court had said that there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the deal. This left the Congress and its president embarrassed in the thick of election season.
And now with the election over and BJP back with a solid mandate of 303 seats, this is touted to be the father of all trolling as the IAF Chief is perceived to be teasing the main opposition party of India.
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