Asserting that a lie can't be a substitute for the truth, the BJP on Friday said Congress president Rahul Gandhi is flogging a dead-horse on the Rafale issue and creating fake news even as it sought to clarify that the final list of offset companies would be out only by the end of 2019.
Addressing a Press conference here, Union Minister Piyush Goyal hit out at Rahul and accused him of repeating lies and alleged that purchase of Rafale fighter jet was cancelled by the Congress-led-UPA Government as Dassault company was not willing to give offset contract to one Sanjay Bhandari, a close associate of Rahul's family.
He said Reliance-Dassault association dates back to 2012 when UPA was in power at the Centre and the incumbent government has no role in it. He said obligatory offset investment in India by Dassault could be done in a variety of ways including through Foreign Direct Investment.
Goyal said though the Modi-government got the Rafale deal in the best terms and conditions , Congress ,an "issueless party", is spreading lies and propaganda on it.
He listed Congress President's lies on seven points including Dassault offset deal, Supreme Court ruling on Rafale deal, alleged dissent by an officer in the Ministry of Defence, alleged quid-pro-quo with a particular company, Ex-President of France allegedly calling Prime Minister Modi as thief, falsehood that he (Rahul) met French President and was told that there was no secrecy law in Rafale deal and quoting different prices for a basic Rafale aircraft and comparing it with a fully loaded one.
The Minster said BJP and the government have nailed all the lies of the Congress leader on the Rafale deal. He said unlike the Congress which cancelled Rafale contract and jeopardize national security, the Modi-government has given the National security a top priority by expediting the fighter plane.