BJP men threatening journalists for reporting on Rafale deal, alleges Rahul Gandhi

While attacking the BJP, Rahul even called Modi a "Supreme Leader" indirectly.

In the later part of the tweet, the Congress chief hailed those journalists "who still have the guts to defend the truth and stand up to Mr 56", taking a dig at the PM who is often referred to as a person with 56 inch chest (big chest) which connotes his bravery.

Rahul's full tweet reads, "Supreme leader's minions are now sending threatening messages to journalists reporting on the #RafaleScam asking them to "back off or else...”. I'm really proud of the few brave press people who still have the guts to defend the truth and stand up to Mr 56."

Escalating its attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government over the Rafale deal, the Congress last week demanded a full break up of the prices at which 36 fighter jets were bought by the Indian government from France.

Countering Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's citation of "secrecy" of the deal, Congress leader Anand Sharma said the secrecy is not binding on the commercial aspects.

Sharma also said Modi will have to explain how the price of the deal increased from Rs. 526 cr, which was fixed under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime, to Rs. 1670 cr.

The Congress leader termed the deal as a "scam".

Targeting PM Modi directly during his speech on the No Confidence Motion in Lok Sabha on Friday, Rahul Gandhi said Sitharaman had lied about the facts of the Rafale deal and a secrecy clause under pressure of 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.

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

Issuing a statement, the French Embassy, however, promptly denied what Rahul Gandhi claimed in the parliament.

Countering the Congress president, Sitharaman had said a secrecy deal with France was signed in 2008 under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime when the Defence Minister was 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.

The French Embassy in New Delhi issued a statement to cite an India Today interview of their President and affirmed that the deal was sensitive and hence the details cannot be revealed.

Not shifting from his position a bit, Rahul had later tweeted to accuse Sitharaman of 'flip-flop' on her stand on the Rafale fighter jet deal with France.