LUCKNOW: Soon after filing his nomination papers for the fourth time from his stronghold Amethi, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi fired a fresh salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Rafale defence deal on Wednesday. He also expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court of India for rejecting Centre’s objections over the admissibility of the “leaked” documents cited by petitioners seeking review of its December 2018 verdict.
Interacting with media persons in Amethi after filing his papers, Gandhi said, “The PM has been claiming that SC had given him clean chit on Rafale deal. The Supreme Court has now clarified and has begun the real probe into the deal.”
He claimed that the apex court had accepted that there was corruption in Rafale deal and that the PM had given Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani. Inviting PM Modi to have a one-to-one debate with him over Rafale issue and also corruption, Rahul said, “If he debates with me, he will not be able to see eye-to-eye with the people of the country.”
“I am very happy today and thank SC for doing justice today,” he said adding he stood vindicated as what he had been saying for months was proved to be true.
Earlier, the Congress president, flanked by Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her husband Robert Vadra and their two children, held an impressive 3-km road show in Amethi on Wednesday morning.
Wading through the streets of Amethi atop an open four wheeler amidst the showering petals, Rahul Gandhi started the road show from Guariganj to reach the collectorate for filing his nomination papers. During the course of road show, the Gandhi siblings, who were given a rousing welcome, greeted the people of Amethi striking a familial chord.
Roads inside Amethi were packed to the brim with Congress workers and supporters carrying party flags along with scores of blue flags with Congress’s flagship NYAY scheme emblazoned on them. The Congress president is seeking a fourth parliamentary term from Amethi, his family bastion for generations. Rahul Gandhi has been representing it since 2004. Rahul was joined by mom Sonia Gandhi as well when he filed his papers.
The UPA chairperson is herself a former MP from Amethi. Also present were Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress general secretary for UP East, and her husband Robert Vadra. In addition to Amethi, Rahul Gandhi is contesting election from Kerala's Wayanad. The UPA chairperson, however, will file her nomination for the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. Meanwhile, Smriti Irani, the BJP runner-up in the 2014 election in Amethi, will file her papers on Thursday.