Rafale row: Shiv Sena targets PM Modi, raises questions over deal, says, 'contract signed to strengthen IAF or industrialists?'

As the Rafale jet deal again makes a comeback in the news, BJP’s allies have taken it on PM Modi, raising doubts over the final deal with the French counterpart as Shiv Sena has again taken a jibe.

Shiv Sena, mentioning the report of The Hindu, which claimed that the Defence Ministry was by passed and a parallel negotiation was taking place in the Prime Minister’s Office during the negotiations of over Rs 59,000 crore of Rafale deal.

Uddhav Thackeray of Shiv Sena said, “The prime minister made the oft-repeated allegation (in Parliament) that the Congress does not want strengthening of the defence services. And the next day, documents surface, showing how extreme Modi's personal interest in the deal was. What to make out of it?”

Thackeray further claimed “Modi was directly 'dealing' in the Rafale transactions. Key people like defence minister, defence secretary were kept away from it. Modi himself took decisions on issues like prices of Rafale (planes) and who would get its contract. Hence, he will have to face allegations and criticism.”

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