Speaking at a Youth Congress event, Rahul Gandhi accused PM Narendra Modi of failing to answer any questions on Rafale despite speaking in Parliament for one and a half hours

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday sharpened the attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale fighter jet deal and alleged that the head of the government had “sold” the Indian Air Force. Speaking at the concluding session of the Youth Congress’ 'Yuva Kranti Yatra' programme here, Rahul said that the PM "stole" the opportunities that were meant for the youth of the country by handing out Rs 30,000 crore to his "friend" and businessman Anil Ambani.

Rahul said the Rafale truth will come out and no one will be able to suppress it. "The entire country knows that Mr Modi stole opportunities of the youth to give Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani. No one can suppress the truth about Rafale, it will come out itself," the Congress chief said. "You have sold the Indian Air Force," he added.

Rahul accused the PM of failing to answer any questions on Rafale despite speaking in Parliament for one and a half hours. He failed to make an eye-to-eye contact and kept looking elsewhere, Rahul alleged, adding "the prime minister is trying to hide the truth".

"You (Modi) cannot sleep in the night. When you sleep, you see the picture of Anil Ambani, you see the picture of Rafale jet, you see the picture of IAF martyrs... this is happening due to the Congress and youth Congress workers who have shown you the truth. The entire country knows that you have played with the future of the youth," he alleged.

The Congress president dared the PM and said his party will play on the frontfoot in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. "Modi has to face the public in 2019," he said.

Both the NDA government as well as Reliance Defence’s Anil Ambani have denied any wrongdoing in the Rs 59,000 crore Rafale fighter jet deal with France under which India is procuring 36 jets in flyaway condition.