Rafale deal: Jaitley hints at jugalbandi; Rahul hits back

New Delhi: Ruling out scrapping of the Rafale jet deal, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Sunday said former French President Francois Hollande contradicted himself, and neither the Indian nor the French government played any role in the selection of Reliance as offset partner by Dassault.

Jaitley, in a television interview, said there appears to be some 'jugalbandi' (connection) between the statements of Hollande and Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

"I am surprised on August 30, he (Gandhi) tweeted that bombs are going to explode in France (over Rafale deal). How he came to know about that?

Jaitley added that there is no question of scrapping the Rafale jet fighter deal as it is meant to meet the needs of the country's defence forces.

"They should come, and they will come," he said when asked whether the government could cancel the deal given the forthcoming general elections in 2019.

Earlier in a Facebook post, Jaitley wrote: "The former French President's first statement rhymes with Rahul Gandhi's prediction."

Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit back at Arun Jaitley on the Rafale issue, saying it is time the finance minister and the prime minister "stop lying" and call for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe for an "uncorrupted truth" to come out.

He accused Jaitley of having the ability to spin "2 truths or lies" with "fake self-righteousness" and "indignation to defend the indefensible".

"Mr Jetlie's speciality is his ability to spin '2 truths', or lies, with fake self-righteousness and indignation to defend the indefensible. It's high time he, the RM and our PM stop lying and call a JPC to establish the full, uncorrupted truth about the Rafale Scam (sic)," Gandhi tweeted.

He also tagged a media report highlighting how former French president Francois Hollande's charges have hit the Modi government on the Rafale issue. The Rafale controversy took a turn last week after former French president Hollande claimed that the Indian government proposed Reliance Defence's name as the offset partner for Dassault Aviation.