BJP to stage countrywide stir to seek Rahul's apology on Rafale

New Delhi: The BJP will hold a nationwide protest on Saturday to seek Rahul Gandhi's apology as it asserted on Friday that the Supreme Court's reiteration of its clean chit to the Modi government in the Rafale deal case has exposed the Congress leader and his party's "lies".

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Bhupender Yadav told reporters that an ideological battle is acceptable in a democracy but the way Gandhi resorted to "lies" and was forced to tender an apology in the apex court for misquoting it has left him with no choice but to apologise to the nation as well. For the first time a national leader had to tender an apology in the Supreme Court, he claimed, adding that Gandhi was the Congress president then.

Yadav also mocked the Congress's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale deal issue, noting that the court had in a unanimous verdict on Friday rejected the petitions seeking a review of its 2018 order that had quashed pleas for an investigation in the purchase of Rafale fighter aircraft alleging corruption.

BJP workers will hold a protests at the district level, he said, adding that the ruling party carried out a similar exercise in Delhi on Friday.