Congress fabricating facts: Parrikar rubbishes Rafale audio clip claim

Panaji, Jan 2: Goa chief minister and former defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday denied having any conversation in cabinet meeting regarding Rafale fighter jet deal.

Manohar Parrikar said the audio clip released by the Congress was its 'desperate attempt' to fabricate facts after the Supreme Court refused to initiate a probe into the Rafale deal.

"The audio clip released by the Congress party is a desperate attempt to fabricate facts after their lies were exposed by the recent Supreme Court verdict on Rafale. No such discussion ever came up during Cabinet or any other meeting," Parrikar tweeted.

The Congress released an audio clip purportedly featuring Goa health minister Vishwajit Rane.

Rane purportedly can be heard saying that during a Goa cabinet meeting last week Parrikar stated he had an entire file and all documents relating to the Rafale deal lying in his bedroom, Surjewala claimed, playing the conversation for the media outside Parliament.

Surjewala told reporters: "Former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has all the files relating to Rafale jet deal. The fashion in which every procedure was bypassed...it is all recorded in the files. Those files are with Mr Parrikar. Why are those files being hidden? We want the truth."

Meanwhile, a discussion on Rafale deal is going on in the parliament today.