Congress president Rahul Gandhi with former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and others at Sevagram Ashram in Wardha on Tuesday, Oct 2, 2018. (PTI Photo)
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of dividing the country and making false promises, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday appealed people to give his party a 'chance' in the next general elections.
Addressing a rally in Wardha, Maharashtra, to kick off the Congress's programmes in the 150th birth anniversary year of Mahatma Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi continued his tirade against the PM over Rafale fighter jet deal with France and other issues.
"You tried Modiji (gave a chance to him). The vehicle (the Modi government) failed, got punctured, its engine exploded, it did not work. He broke your trust...now you trust the Congress, the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi to take India forward," Rahul Gandhi said.
"The chowkidar (watchman) is doing it and doing it for them (the rich). He (Modi) is not a chowkidar, but bhagidar (partner in crime)," Rahul Gandhi went on to add.
The top Congress leader asked the PM to explain why the offset contract in the Rafale deal was awarded to Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence, 'snatching' it from the State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
"Modi's friend" Ambani was given the contract, despite his firm not having manufactured a "single aircraft" and carrying a debt of Rs 45,000 crore, Rahul Gandhi alleged.
He also referred to former France president Francois Hollande's remarks that his government had no say in choosing Ambani's company in the Rafale deal.
"When I asked Modiji about the Rafale deal (in Parliament), Modiji avoided eye contact. He would look here and there, up and down. But Modiji could not speak by looking the nation in the eye, because he was lying," Rahul Gandhi alleged.
Anil Ambani has already rubbished Rahul Gandhi's allegations over the Rafale deal.
(With inputs from PTI)
