Cong raking up Rafale issue because it does not want IAF to be strong: PM

New Delhi, Feb 7 (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday slammed the Congress for repeatedly raking up the Rafale fighter deal issue, alleging that the Opposition party does not want the Indian Air Force and the country’s security apparatus to be strong.
He also mocked the efforts of some Opposition parties to form a coalition against the BJP, terming it as “maha milawat (grand impurity)” and asserted that it will never come to power.
Replying to a debate to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address in the Lok Sabha, he focussed his attack on the Congress as he compared the work done under the Congress rule in 55 years as against the work done by his government in 55 months.
Modi, who has been accused by the Opposition of “destroying” institutions, hit back, saying it was the Congress and its governments which had harmed the institutions. In this context, he cited the imposition of Emergency by the Indira Gandhi government in 1975 and “misuse” of Article to dismiss state governments 50 times as examples.
He also alleged that the Congress governments, particularly the previous UPA government, had weakened the armed forces.
“Why are you so insensitive towards the armed forces? Requirements of the Army, Navy and Air Force have been ignored by your government,” Modi said, adding the Congress benches.
Citing the serious security environment in which India is placed, the Prime Minister asked, “Why no next generation fighter plane has been acquired in 30 years? Why? You don’t think about the nation’s security?
Referring to Rafale fighter deal, Modi said, “Congress does not want our IAF to be strong. I am levelling serious allegation. That is why you are opposing Rafale (acquisition)? At whose behest? For which company are you doing it?”
He went on to add, “History bears testimony that the Congress and UPA governments can’t work without kickbacks in defence deals” and because of that the Opposition party is not able to digest a “transparent” agreement.
Talking about the efforts by some Opposition to forge unity for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Modi said “Ab toh maha milawat hone wala hai. Leking yahan pahunchne wale nahi hai ( Now there is going to be a grand impurity. But it will not get power). You may gather in Kolkata but they (constituents) will not see eye to eye in Kerala. In UP, this ‘maha milawat’ has been thrown out.”
He added that in a “healthy democracy” people keep away from “impurity”.  (ANI)