TN-PM-RAFALE (CORRECTED)

In a stinging counter-attack on the

Rafale issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday accused

the Congress of stalling defence procurement if there was "no

deal" for it.

He also said the alleged middleman Christian Michel was

close to the Congress first family and the people deserved to

know the role played by him in the 10-year delay over the

Rafale deal during UPA regime.

Interacting with booth level BJP workers of Tamil Nadu

through video-conferencing, he said many people think that the

biggest failure of Congress was mismanagement of the economy

and corruption.

"But they did deep damage to our armed forces. Not many

know how much damage Congress culture did to our defence

sector for decades. They had made the defence sector a den of

Bofors and brokers and middlemen.

"In their government, procurement would only happen if

there was a deal. If there was no deal their approach was to

simply stop buying anything for the armed forces," Modi said

in response to a question.

Recalling Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's

statement during the debate in Lok Sabha over the Rafale

issue, Modi said when India's neighbours were strengthening

their forces with fourth and fifth generation fighters, the

then Congress government stalled defence procurement.

Recently, between 2004-15, one of India's neighbours

added 400 aircraft while another doubled the air force fleet

strength with many of these being fourth and fifth generation

fighters, he said.

"What was the Congress government doing at that time? It

stalled Defence procurement for want of its deal while our

neighbours increased capacity. Congress actually decreased

ours. Such huge damage to the defence forces, all for the sake

of a deal," Modi alleged.

Referring to negotiations to purchase 126 Rafale

fighter jets during the UPA regime, Modi claimed Michel, being

probed over the AugustaWestland chopper deal, had access to

inside information like the timing of a cabinet meet on

security and a government file on a related matter.

"Do you know who this middleman is close to? This

middleman is close to the current first family of the

Congress."

The reported revealations by the middleman raise several

questions and people had a right to know what role did Michel

"play in delaying the procurement of Rafale for 10 long

years... in putting national security in danger," he said.

"The people of the country deserve to know how did

middleman Michel know about the time of a meeting of the

Cabinet (committee) on security...," he said.

Similarly, people should know how Michel knew about the

status of a government file and how he "managed" the

leadership of a party to get the deal.

The prime minister's offensive comes amid the escalating

attack by Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who has been posing

a series of questions to Modi over the Rafale deal for

purchase of 36 fighter jets from the French manufacturer.

Modi said he knew that there would be relentless attacks

against him and his reputation as he as he had stopped so many

people's "corrupt businesses," asserting that he would happily

"take all the mud" thrown at him if he can strengthen the

hands of soldiers.

He asked if it was not duty of the government to aid the

soldiers by providing them weapons and equipment.

"...These are extremely powerful people... they have

their people everywhere. That is why you see such attacks

against us today. But when it comes to national security, I

always say India first," Modi said.

"I will take all the mud thrown at me happily if I can

strengthen the hands of the soldiers. When a government is

clean and not waiting for a deal to seal a defence

procurement, things will move faster. I hope this answers your

question," he added.