Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday alleged that Congress president Rahul Gandhi visited him on the pretext of enquiring about his
health, but later used it for “petty political gains”. He also accused Gandhi of lying, and maintained that the subject of the Rafale fighter jet deal had not
even come up during their private conversation.
Gandhi had met the 63-year-old Goa Chief Minister, who is suffering from a serious ailment, on Tuesday. He later said during a meeting with booth-level
party workers in Kochi that Parrikar had clearly denied any involvement in the Rafale fighter jet deal, indicating that it was “orchestrated” by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi to “benefit” Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani.
Parrikar said in his letter that he had received Gandhi in a “healthy political spirit” despite the fact that he was fighting a severe ailment. “However, reading
media reports covering your visit to my office has caused me distress. I feel let down that you have used this visit for petty political gains…” he wrote.
The Goa Chief Minister then went on to claim that there was no discussion on politics during their time together. “In the five minutes you spent with me,
you neither mentioned anything about Rafale nor discussed anything related to it. Nothing whatsoever about Rafale was even mentioned,” he clarified in
the letter.
“Paying a courtesy visit and then stooping so low as to make a false statement for petty political gain has raised, in my mind, questions about the sincerity
and purpose of your visit,” he said, adding that such tactics should not be adopted against a person “fighting a life-threatening illness”.
Parrikar also reiterated in his letter that the aircraft were bought as per the Defence Procurement Procedure. “I have said this before and wish to reiterate
it in today’s context too. The fighter aircraft are being procured by following all stated procedures and keeping national security as the top priority,” he
said.
The former Defence Minister’s letter was quickly followed by a caustic remark by BJP president Amit Shah. “Dear Rahul Gandhi, you have shown how
insensitive you are by lying in the name of a person fighting a disease. The people of India are disgusted by your reckless behaviour. In his trademark style,
@manoharparrikar ji sets the record straight,” he said.
