Rafale deal: Rahul demands answers from Modi on Parrikar's purported 'file in bedroom' claim
New Delhi, Jan 2: Stepping up attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale issue, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday used a purported audio clip to allege that Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is "blackmailing" Modi with a file on the Rs 58,000 crore jet deal "lying in his bedroom".
Citing an audio clip of a conversation purportedly of Goa minister Vishwajit Rane, Gandhi said he can be heard clearly as saying that Parrikar told his cabinet during a meeting that all documents relating to the Rafale deal were with him.
Asserting that the audio was authentic, Gandhi indicated there may be more such tapes and dismissed denials by Parrikar and his minister.
Demanding answers from the prime minister on Parrikar's purported claim, Gandhi asked if this was the reason why a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe was not being ordered. He said the entire country wants Modi to answer these questions.
Addressing a press conference hours after he spoke on the issue in Lok Sabha, Gandhi also dared Modi to have a one-on-one debate of just 20 minutes on the Rafale matter.
"The Goa minister is saying clearly that Parrikar ji said in a cabinet meeting that he has a complete file on Rafale deal with all details and therefore, he can't be disturbed. There may be other such audio tapes," said the Congress chief.
The Congress along with other opposition parties are demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the Rs 58,000 crore deal.
"What Parrikar is doing is threatening the Prime Minister and blackmailing him in a way. We have been raising this for a long time. Question is what information is there in Parrikar's bedroom and what files are there and what could be the impact on Narendra Modi," Gandhi alleged.
He also asked who raised the price of Rafale aircraft from Rs 526 crore to Rs 1,600 crore.
He also attacked Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and alleged there were inconsistencies in the statements being made by him and others in the government.
Jaitley has himself said this is a Rs 58000 crore deal and if we divide it by 36, it will be Rs 1600 crore. That's how the figure of Rs 526 crore (for price of one aircraft) comes. It is not our (Congress's) number but yours (the government's)," Gandhi said.
He also said the prime minister needs to answer what objections were raised by the IAF or by the defence ministry, if there were any.
""Now Parrikar says all details are in his bedroom. Truth can't be kept hidden The more you try to hide the truth, new facts will come out," Gandhi said.
Attacking the prime minister, Gandhi said, "The person who went to France with all pomp and show, he can't reply and stand in Parliament, but it is finance minister who is being made to reply."
Repeating his allegation that "chowkidar chor hai", Gandhi said a JPC probe would clear throw two names -- Anil Ambani and Narendra Modi.
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Hospital wall collapse: CM orders suspension of executive engineer; kin of victims get solatium
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday ordered the immediate suspension of an executive engineer for the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital wall collapse that claimed the lives of seven people, during a high-level review meeting at Vidhana Soudha.
A compensation of Rs 5 lakh, as announced by the CM Siddaramaiah, was distributed to the families of seven victims who lost their lives in the tragedy on Wednesday evening, which occurred due to heavy downpour with gusty winds and hailstorm.
The meeting of municipal commissioners of the five corporations, chaired by the chief minister and attended by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, focused on fixing accountability and examining lapses that led to the tragedy.
"Why was soil dumped in a way that damaged the wall? Why did you not monitor this?" Siddaramaiah asked, pulling up hospital authorities during the meeting.
A statement from the chief minister's office said that the CM ordered the immediate suspension of the executive engineer of the Karnataka Health Systems Development Project (KHSDP).
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He also questioned the hospital authorities, asking why they failed to monitor the dumping of soil that weakened the structure.
The chief minister directed that a notice be issued to the head of the Hospital.
During the meeting, Siddaramaiah said the rains had caused extensive damage in the city, with over 250 trees uprooted.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to take necessary measures before the onset of the monsoon to avoid untoward incidents.
Commissioners of all five municipal zones in Bengaluru have been asked to take precautionary steps, including trimming dry and dangerous tree branches, the CMO said.
Siddaramaiah also directed them to get the silt cleared from stormwater drains to prevent flooding, and that immediate action be taken to remove debris and fallen branches from roads.
Further, he instructed that barricades be placed at underpasses where water stagnates and restricts public movement.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao said in a statement that Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad distributed compensation cheques of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased on Thursday.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed and seven others injured when the compound wall collapsed amid heavy rain, strong winds and a hailstorm on Wednesday evening.
Police said the victims, comprising three from Bengaluru, two from Kerala on a study tour and one each from Uttar Pradesh and Assam, had taken shelter near the wall when it suddenly gave way, trapping them under the debris.
The chief minister questioned officials over the dumping of soil near the wall despite knowing it could weaken the structure, and directed that a notice be issued to the head of Bowring Hospital.
Siddaramaiah, who had visited the spot soon after the incident along with senior officials, reviewed the situation and ordered a detailed probe into the collapse.
