Now, BJP Pulls Out Ultimate Card, Links Robert Vadra To Rafale Row
Now, BJP Pulls Out Ultimate Card, Links Robert Vadra To Rafale Row
M.U.H
25/09/2018674
New Delhi: The BJP on Monday fielded its Rajasthan-based leader and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and also sought to link Robert Vadra, brother in law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, to the ‘desperation’ shown by the grand old party in getting the G2G pact with France cancelled.
The Union Minister said Robert Vadra-run company Offset India Solution was set up in 2008 and started operating as a ‘service provider company’ to sale and purchase of defence industry products.
“This company participates in big Defence Expos and present its credential….But so far they did not get any big breakthrough,” he told reporters here adding under Mr Vadra’s influence, the UPA dispensation wanted that French company Dassault Aviation to accept Offset India Solution as “a broker (service provider company)”.
“However, this did not materialise then and therefore the UPA regime had cancelled the deal,” Mr Shekhawat claimed.
Mr Shekhwat told reporters at the party headquarters here that: “…… In this context, I say there is a need to understand under which nexus Rahul Gandhi and a former France President Francois Hollande is getting connected to”.
“By now it is known to everyone, Robert Vadra and Sanjay Bhandari are close. Robert Vadra and Sanjay Bhandari have been seen in several Defence Expo. International media have reported this.
They were seen in Dubai also,” Mr Shekhwat said.
“During UPA regime, the government of the day was pressured by Robert Vadra so that the Rafale deal being negotiated then should be brokered through Vadra’s company,” he alleged.
Mr Shekhawat said the Congress did not answer the questions raised by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as to why the UPA dispensation under Manmohan Singh had cancelled the Rafale deal.
“They have not answered, but I will…..The then UPA government had compromised with national security vis-a-vis the interest of people like Sanjay Bhandari,” he said adding the friendship between Bhandari and Mr Vadra was well known.
“Because their idea to help (Vadra’s company) did not materialise then, therefore today also they want to cancel the deal (as worked out under Modi government) and want to show Dassault Aviation its place,” Mr Shekhawat alleged.
“It appears they want to give a message to Dassault that we will not allow this contract to materialise in any manner,” the Minister said adding the idea is to ensure that a message goes round the globe that in future also any international company who have to deal in India has to operate through company of Sanjay Bhandari and Robert Vadra.