Is Parrikar ‘blackmailing' PM Modi with a file on Rafale, asks Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, Jan 2: Reiterating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi changed the Rafale deal contract to help Anil Ambani, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said a JPC probe would make things clear. He questioned yet again as to why the BJP-led government is shirking away from JPC probe on Rafale matter.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley keeps asking from where did the Congress party arrive at the cost of Rs 16,00 cr per aircraft, Rahul said, adding, "It was Jaitley who this figure to us."

"They keep asking where does Congress get the Rs 1600 crore per aircraft figure, let me tell you from where. Jaitley ji in his speech in Parliament had said the deal is 58000 cr, so divide this by 36, what figure do you get? 1600 cr," Rahul said.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is defending the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister, he said.

Rahul also said that a Goa Minister claimed that Manohar Parrikar has a file on Rafale deal, which he has been using to 'blackmail' the PM.

"The audio tape is a recording of Goa health minister, where he has claimed that Manohar Parrikar said that he has all the files of Rafale, and none can disturb me (Parrikar)," he said.

Earlier today in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi sought answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's purported claim of possessing a file on Rafale "lying in his bedroom" and asked if this was the reason why a joint parliamentary committee probe was not being ordered.