Even though the Congress and other Opposition parties continue to up the ante over the Rafale fighter-jet issue, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that there's no point in raising the controversy.

"There is no point in raising controversies about Rafale deal. Defence Ministry has released a statement on the statement of Former French President (François Hollande), that they are verifying it," said Singh in a first comment from the government after former French president Francois Hollande's reported remarks contradicting the Indian government's stand.

The Union Minister also refuted the allegations saying they are baseless.

On Friday, Hollande was quoted by a French publication as saying that the Indian government proposed Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence as the partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet fighter deal and France did not have a choice.

Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with then French President Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris.

Singh's reaction came after Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Anil Ambani jointly carried out a Rs 130,000 crore "surgical strike" on the defence forces.

"The PM and Anil Ambani jointly carried out a One Hundred & Thirty Thousand Crore, SURGICAL STRIKE on the Indian Defence forces. Modi Ji you dishonoured the blood of our martyred soldiers. Shame on you. You betrayed India's soul," Gandhi tweeted.

The report in 'Mediapart', a French-language publication, quoted Hollande as saying, "It was the Indian government that proposed this service group, and Dassault which negotiated with Ambani. We had no choice, we took the interlocutor who was given to us."

Reacting to Hollande's reported remark that is at variance with the Indian government's position, a defence ministry spokesperson said Friday, "The report referring to former French president Hollande's statement that government of India insisted upon a particular firm as offset partner for the Dassault Aviation in Rafale is being verified."

Spokesperson of France's Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs said that the French government had no role to play in choosing partner companies in India for the purpose of offsets contracts in the Rafale deal.

"The intergovernmental agreement signed on 23rd September 2016 between the French and Indian governments for supplying India with 36 Rafale aircraft concerns the obligations of the French government solely with regard to ensuring the delivery and quality of this equipment," reads the statement.

The Congress has also been demanding answers from the government on why state-run aerospace major HAL was not involved in the deal as finalised during the UPA. The opposition parties have also alleged that the Reliance Defence was formed just 12 days before the announcement of the Rafale deal by the prime minister on 10 April 2015. The Reliance group has rejected the charges.