SIDISrtVUU@IB!&!!"&#S@B9IV69P99I !%! %! ' . E ) /+F F F #&"+#, -./ ( ') 86 ##* 6;6 < 9 / )#*+, - &#' ( #$ % ?3)99 *:9 4(?0 !! (:!4 @!::!#2 0A 6B !#!# 9=9 *9 A!239D ,! #91 :01 !?# 4!:!?C )?9 : !# >? 67 0 1 20 3-.4 .5. > ! "$% !& 1)# 23) P #91 9:,! Reacting to Hollande’s comments, the Indian Defence fter former French Ministry had said on Friday, “It APresident Francois is reiterated that neither the P Hollande’s reported sensation- Government nor the French al comments that India pro- Government had any say in the #91 9:,! “It is very important for the Q posed Reliance Defence as off- commercial decision.” Prime Minister now to either set partner for the 59,000 On Saturday, the Defence gainst the backdrop of for- accept Hollande’s statement or ! " # !! # crore Rafale fighter jet deal, the Ministry said, “Unnecessary Amer French President state that Hollande is lying and $ French Government on controversies are being sought Francois Hollande’s reported tell the truth,” he said. ! " Saturday said it is in no man- to be created following media comments on the controversial Rahul alleged that Modi %! ## & ner involved in the choice of reports regarding a statement Rafale deal, Congress presi- got the contract for his indus- ! ! $' the Indian partner. purportedly made by the for- dent Rahul Gandhi on trialist friend Anil Ambani to " ! It added French companies mer French President, Francois Saturday launched a fresh bail him out. “The Prime have the full freedom to select Hollande, concerning the selec- attack on Prime Minister Minister himself has given a ( ) L Indian firms and Dassault tion of Reliance Defence as the Narendra Modi and said “for- contract of 30,000 crore to # " Aviation, manufacturer of offset partner by Dassault.” mer French president Francois Anil Ambani. Anil Ambani ! # Rafale jets, said it is the com- The reported statement Hollande is calling the PM of had a debt of 45,000 crore and ( ) pany’s “choice” to partner with perhaps needs to be seen in its India a thief” and that the PM was bailed out by PM Modi,” # " Reliance Defence. full context — where the needs to break his silence. he said. # ! + & # “Dassault Aviation has French media has raised issues Addressing a Press con- “The PM and Anil ! $) ,-./# # decided to make a partnership of conflict of interest involving ference here, the Congress Ambani jointly carried out a ! ! $ ! # "0 with India’s Reliance Group. persons close to the former president said it is “obvious One Hundred & Thirty ! # This is Dassault Aviation’s President. His subsequent state- that PM Modi is corrupt.” " Thousand Crore, SURGICAL ! choice,” the company said. ments are also relevant in this Rahul said the Prime STRIKE on the Indian Defence # " Reacting to the French regard. For a rounded appreci- Minister has “betrayed India’s the blood of our martyred Minister is still silent on it. Not forces. Modi Ji you dishon- 1 & ! ! Government’s claim and ation of this matter, it may be soul.” Calling the Rafale deal soldiers.” a single word from him,” Rahul oured the blood of our mar- &! ! Dassault Aviation’s admission, partinent to dwell upon why 1.3 lakh crore surgical strike “Former French president said. It is considered to be the tyred soldiers. Shame on you. # ! Q the Indian Defence Ministry and how Offset Policy came on the Indian Defence forces, calls our PM a thief... What is sharpest attack by Rahul on You betrayed India’s soul,” ! ,-.2" # said “unnecessary controver- into play. Rahul said Modi “dishonoured staggering is that the Prime Modi on the Rafale deal. Rahul tweeted. ! ! ! ! L sies” are being created and The Offset Policy was for- 3 ) 4 L & reiterated that the Indian mally announced for the first " Government had had no role in time in 2005 by the then UPA Indian Defence industry by ) 4 # the selection of Reliance as an Government and has been fostering development of inter- ! "# &4 offset partner in the deal. revised several times. To lever- nationally competitive enter- # The French Government age its huge arms imports in prises; augmenting capacity $ " and Dassault company’s clari- order to develop a strong for research and development L fications came after Hollande in indigenous industry, a flow- in Defence sector and to R ! ! L an interview to a French pub- back arrangement is made in encourage development of syn- " ! lication Mediapart said on the defence contracts, which is ergistic sector like civil aero- #91 9:,! the private company, to brush 4 O ! # Friday, “It was the Indian widely known as offsets, and space. aside the charge of ! Government that proposed constitutes a certain percentage The offset can be dis- escribing Prime Minister corruption. ( ! "6 this service group, and Dassault of the contract value. charged by many means such DNarendra Modi as a sym- Prasad said, “What hap- 0 ! ! # negotiated with Ambani. We The key objectives of the as direct purchase of eligible bol of honesty after Congress pened later between the two *5) $ had no choice, we took the Defence Offset Policy is to products/services, FDI in joint president Rahul Gandhi brothers ( Mukesh Ambani ! interlocutor who was given to leverage the capital acquisitions ventures and investment threw the “thief” barb at him, and Anil Ambani) we do not / ! ! # # us.” to develop towards equipment and trans- the BJP on Saturday rejected know but there is contempo- 2 ( &! fer of technology. former French president rary evidence of MoU between ! As per Francois Hollande’s sensa- Reliance Industries and + " Defence tional claim on the Rafale $ %& Dassault”. # Offset deal, saying it does not know He said the UPA ( ! Guidelines, the for- under what compulsion Government terminated nego- ,-.2L eign Original Equipment Hollande said so. tiations with Dassault after a 4 678% # Manufacturer (OEM) is free The BJP condemned as power and refuted the allega- contract negotiation committee # ) ! to select any “shameful and irresponsible” tion that the Modi Government had chosen it as the lowest bid- Indian company as its off- Rahul’s remarks against Modi had favoured the Anil Ambani- der in 2012 following years of / set partner. over the Rafale deal, saying no led company. process because the company & president of any party has ever Ruling out Rahul’s demand did not pay it “bribe”. ! # used such language against a for a joint parliamentary com- “This is the most shameful Prime Minister. mittee probe into the deal, he and irresponsible statement / "6 R Hours after Rahul’s Press told a Press conference that it which is not believed by any- conference, Union Minister cannot be done merely to sat- one in the country or world. ! Ravi Shankar Prasad hit back isfy the ego of “an arrogant and But by levelling these allega- ! ! # at Rahul saying that the ill-informed leader repeating tions you (Rahul) have smeared ! "! ! 7 Congress chief is “playing into lies after lies”. black paint on your face,” 8-- the hands of Pakistan and Prasad said negotiations Prasad said. ! " #91 9:,! police, initial probe indicated China” by seeking the details of between Dassault and He claimed Rahul “had no 1 # ! that the murder occurred on the Rafale fighter jets. Reliance Industries dated quality or capability” and held 4 n a chilling incident, a 60- Friday evening or night. The Union Minister also back to February 13, 2002. on to power because of his %!! # & ) Iyear-old woman and her 40- The police suspected per- said that Dassault Aviation, Prasad also cited statements family connections. “I can ,-./") Q year-old differently-abled sonal animosity behind the the manufacturer of the fight- of the French Government understand the pain of Rahul "9 L# daughter were found mur- murders. At the same time, er aircraft, and Reliance had and Dassault in which they and company because the cor- ! ! L # ! dered brutally at their residence some people suspect property entered into an agreement as said Indian and French dis- ruption has stopped under " $! ! in West Delhi’s Mianwali Nagar dispute could have led to the early as 2012 when the pensations had no role in Modi and doors are closed for # "1 ! on Saturday. murder of the woman and her Congress-led UPA was in picking the offset partner of middleman”. ! ! ! While Shashi Talwar the daughter. The police are sifting 7 mother’s throat was slit, her from the other door and found footage of eight CCTV cameras " daughter Nidhi was blud- the mother-daughter lying in a in the area to identify the 0! geoned to death with a blunt pool of blood. “She informed accused. The Police have also ! object. The hands of both vic- the police about the incident at recovered three mobile phones " tims were tied and their around 10 am,” said the police. from the crime scene and are &L L mouths gagged, the police said. Their bodies have been checking the call details.