Will grant martyr status to slain paramilitary men: Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi, however, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “has been politicising the issue” of the recent Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

”In his speeches he (Modi) ridicules the Congress, but I want to remind you all that for seven-eight days after the attack the Congress did not politicise the issue (of Pulwama attack). But, it is sad that when tensions between India and Pakistan grew after the Pulwama terror attack, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi politicised it,” he said.

“Now Mr Modi is saying that had Rafale aircraft been procured earlier, the country would have been benefitted,” Gandhi added, alleging that it was Modi who was responsible for the delay in procuring the fighter jets from France.

”During UPA’s time, the Indian Air Force needed Rafale. We had to purchase 126 fighter jets. It was decided that one Rafale aircraft would be purchased for Rs 526 crore. It was also decided that the contract would go to HAL. But, Modi ji came to power and changed the contract. The cost was increased to Rs 1,600 crore. Also, (industrialist) Anil Ambani got the contract,” he said, adding that “the negotiation team said that because of the new contract it would take up to 10 years for the aircraft to be handed over to India. As per the earlier contract the aircraft would have been procured earlier, and even then Modiji says that had that the negotiation been done earlier, the country would have been benefitted. It is Modi ji who delayed the contract”.

Gandhi further said that if voted to power the Congress will give minimum guaranteed income. “Money will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of the poor, every month,” Gandhi said, adding the Congress would win all four Lok Sabha seats in the state.

“Your fight is that of ideology. On the one hand there’s the ideology of hate and anger, and on the other there’s the Congress that talks of love. It is you who will win (in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections). The Congress will win all four seats in Himachal Pradesh,” he said.