BJP to move privilege motion against Rahul Gandhi for his remarks against PM Modi

Targetting Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly during his speech on the No Confidence Motion in Lok Sabha on Friday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman lied about the facts of the Rafale deal and a secrecy clause under pressure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Nirmala Sitharaman lied to the country over the Rafale deal under Prime Minister Narendra Modi when she said she could not reveal the details of the deal owing to a secret pact with France. There is no such pact," said Rahul Gandhi who later hugged the Prime Minister in the house, creating a rare scene in the Parliament.

The Congress president said he came to know from French President Emmanuel Macron himself that there was no secret pact between India and France.

He attacked the PM and the BJP on ‘favouritism’ on the Rafale deal by assigning it to a businessman with no experience in building planes, instead of to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)

Following the Congress president's remark, Sitharaman got up from her seat and tried to protest. The Speaker said she would speak next on the issue to defend herself.

Earlier, targeting the PM, Rahul said Modi made one false promise after another to the youth on jobs and took the nation on a ride by creating excitement and then delivering nothing.

He said the BJP builds up excitement with promises like Rs 15 lakh in every bank account and employment for two crore youths. He said the youth depended on the PM and the reality is only 4 lakh youth got employment as against 2 crore every year as promised by the PM.

He said these are all jumlas.

He said the PM snatched the money from the small businessmen and traders and dealt a blow with his demonstration policy.

Rahul said: "Don't know what happened one night, PM Modi called the demonetisation move."

The PM has no feelings for the poor, said Rahul Gandhi, adding that the PM said he is the "chowkidar" (security guard) of the nation and yet said nothing against Jay Shah, the son of BJP national president Amit Shah, on corruption.

In a comment which made Modi burst into laughter, Rahul said: "Narendra Modi can't even look into my eyes. He is looking here and there while I am giving the speech."

The Congress president also brought the Goods and Services Tax (GST) issue to attack the government.

He took a shot at Modi for his opposition to the GST while the latter was the Gujarat Chief Minister.

Defence Minister counters: 

Countering Congress president Rahul Gandhi's allegations over the Rafale deal, Defence Minister Sitharaman has said a secrecy deal with France was signed in 2008 under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime.

Rubbishing Rahul's allegations, Sitharaman said a secrecy agreement was signed in 2008 under then Defence Minister AK Antony.

Amid pandemonium, she further said Macron told an Indian media outlet in an interview that the commercial details of the Rafale jets deal can't be revealed.

Chandrababu Naidu's TDP has brought the no-confidence motion, demanding a special status for Andhra Pradesh.

The motion is supported by the Congress, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

With 314 members in the lower house of Parliament, the no-trust motion is not a threat to the BJP-led NDA government, since the number is more than the half-way mark (272).

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) ally partner Shiv Sena said it will abstain from voting in the motion.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has walked out of the Lok Sabha.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar earlier said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is having the full support of its allies.

While interacting with reporters, Kumar said: "NDA has full support of its allies. We will also have support from other political parties. All our allies are together."

The voting is scheduled to take place at 6 pm.