PTI
NEW DELHI
The Congress on Wednesday dropped a bombshell in the Rafale jet deal releasing a purported audio clip of a Goa minister speaking about Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s alleged claim of a file on the contract “lying in his bedroom”, sparking emphatic denials from the Centre and the Goa government.
Sparks flew between the Congress and the Centre with the opposition party’s chief Rahul Gandhi making an attempt in the Lok Sabha to play the unverified audio tape (See THE AUDIO TRANSCRIPTION) purportedly of the minister Vishwajit Rane telling an unidentified person regarding the alleged claim by Parrikar at a Cabinet meeting.
Gandhi also alleged that Parrikar is “blackmailing” Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala came out with the audio clip in which Rane purportedly can be heard saying that during a Goa cabinet meeting last week Parrikar stated he had an entire file and all documents relating to the Rafale deal lying in his bedroom.
Surjewala played the conversation for the media outside the Parliament.
Later speaking to reporters, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the tape is “authentic” and that there might be many such “tapes”.
“The Goa minister is saying clearly that Parrikarji said in a cabinet meeting that he has a complete file on Rafale deal with all details and therefore, he can’t be disturbed.
“What Parrikar is essentially doing is threatening the prime minister and
blackmailing him in a way,” Gandhi alleged. “We have been raising this for a long time. Question is what information is there in Parrikar’s bedroom and what files are there and what could be the impact on Narendra Modi.”
Surjewala said the country is demanding answers as to what secrets in the Rafale ‘scam’ are lying inside Parrikar’s flat and bedroom and targeted Modi, asking why is the ‘chowkidaar’ fearing the chief minister.
“New evidence busts ‘chowkidar’s’ worst kept secrets. What is Modi government hiding... Is this the reason why a JPC probe is not being ordered,” he asked.
Training his guns on Modi, Surjewala said, “this is a personal charge against you”.
“There was corruption and wrongdoing in the Rafale scam and it is all recorded in the files. Those files are with Mr Parrikar. Why are they being hidden? If Mr Modi has nothing to hide, then why is Mr Parrikar keeping those files in his bedroom and threatening everybody that nobody can do anything against him, for he has the Rafale files,” he alleged.
He said it has now become necessary that the files of Rafale with Parrikar need to come out in public domain.
In the Lok Sabha, Gandhi sought the Speaker’s permission to play the audio tape, as he mounted a fresh offensive against Modi on the Rafale issue, saying he does not have “guts” to come to Parliament to confront questions and that he “hides” in his room.
Tape is doctored: Vishwajit
‘Will cooperate with criminal investigation agency’
the goan I network
Panaji
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane alleged that the audio in which he (Rane) is heard saying that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has all the files related to the Rafale deal in his bedroom is doctored.
Rane said he has spoken to Parrikar and also BJP president Amit Shah and has requested them to order an enquiry and thoroughly probe the source of the audio. He also wrote to Parrikar demanding the investigation.
Rane who addressed a hurriedly called press conference also denied that Parrikar ever spoke to him or any of his cabinet colleagues about Rafale and that no such discussion ever took place.
He, however, admitted that the voice in the audio clip did sound like his. He said with today’s innovation and technology anything can be made in any manner.
Rane also denied that Parrikar had ever spoken about the Rafale deal to the Goa cabinet ministers.
“There was never a discussion on Rafale by the CM. There was never a time he spoke about any documents, which I have heard in the
|audio,” said Rane.
“These are allegations that are being made through the doctored voice audio released by Randeep Singh Surjewala,” he said, even as he stressed that the Congress was making him a scapegoat, as they were “losing ground”
after Parrikar’s visit to the Secretariat on January 1.
“Congress is a party which has no issues and was trying to raise such issues by making me a scapegoat,” Rane said.
Rane also said that he would co-operate with any probe by any national investigation agency in this regard. He insisted that the voice in the audio was doctored using technology, and that he was being “made a pawn” in a national issue.
“I have asked for criminal investigation and also for the voice to be tested by a specialised agency. Once a specialised agency is roped in, who’s telling lies and who’s telling the truth will be exposed,” said Rane.
He also denied that he was second in line in the race for Chief Minister’s post. He further said that the Congress was conjuring up issues as they were scared that more MLAs would defect. CM denies any discussion on Rafale
PANAJI : Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar took to Twitter to deny any discussion on Rafale in the Goa cabinet meeting on Wednesday afternoon in the immediate aftermath of a major controversy following the Congress releasing in Delhi an audio clip purportedly containing a conversation between Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and an unidentified journalist.
“The audio clip released by the Congress is a desperate attempt to fabricate facts after their lies were exposed by the Supreme Court verdict on Rafale. No such discussion ever came up during Cabinet or any other meeting,” Parrikar tweeted.
THE AUDIO TRANSCRIPTION
X: Good evening sir
Vishwajit: Boss good evening. I called today... there was a three-hour cabinet meeting.
X: Ok
Vishwajit: Just keep it confidential.
X: Han han(yes yes)
Vishwajit: There were so many fights... you know... so many fights... Nilesh Cabral went on and recruited maximum engineers from his constituency, so everybody, Jayesh Salgaonkar got the list and showed it to him. Everybody was fighting with him and everybody was upset because no work is being done on recruitment front.
X: Okay
Vishwajit: Babu Ajgaonkar was fighting with Sudin Dhavalikar because his work was not being done.
X: Ok
Vishwajit: Apart from that the Chief Minister makes one interesting statement. That I have all the information of Rafale in my bedroom.
X: (Shocked) What are you saying?
Vishwajit: I am telling you..
X: My God!
Vishwajit: Which you should actually make a story and actually you can crosscheck with somebody whom you are close to within the Cabinet.
X: Okay
Vishwajit: Because this is how, you know... this is something...which he said
..that means he is holding them to ransom..
X: I swear
Vishwajit: He said it’s in my bedroom ... here only in the flat..
Vishwajit: Each and every document of Rafale is with me.
Now whether he wanted somebody to go and inform them in Delhi...or what... this I didn’t know.. I didn’t understand...
X: My God
Vishwajit: Just.. I called you tell you this thing ...
X: And 3 hours cabinet meeting like you know...literally heading nowhere, or was there...some kind of a thing...
Vishwajit: Nothing ...it was heading directionless... waste of time..
X: Sir tell me something... why is this man.. Suddenly... so interested in having an Assembly Session.. that...our speaker.. ?
Vishwajit: Because he feels that the RSS will back him to become the Chief Minister
X: Aah Acha Acha Acha. He is on his own train.
Vishwajit: He is on his own train. Somebody has said Sudin is very clear.. that he is not supporting. They have said that Vijay is very clear.. that he is not supporting.
X: My God
Vishwajit: But we need to have a meeting... because you need to communicate certain things to Delhi... what will be the outcome of this whole thing..
X: Sir you tell...me na sir...whenever you tell me... I am there...
Vishwajit: I will tell you.. just brief and keep.. Because it will go in that direction only.. I am very very clear
X: Okay...
Vishwajit: I will tell..
X: Sir so you let me know... whenever you want to come down... I will... be there
Vishwajit: Okay Okay.
X: Bye
Note: Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has denied he ever had this conversation with Mr X
