After writing a letter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi on the Rafale deal, Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has now issued a ‘cease and desist’ notice to Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill.
Speaking to ABP News, Shergill said he was not scared of such notices.
Ambani had earlier written to Gandhi on the ongoing Rafale jet deal, stating that his party was “misinformed, misdirected and misled” by “malicious vested interests and corporate rivals” on the issue. The letter was reportedly written earlier in August.
The younger Ambani tycoon, who had first written to Gandhi on the issue in December, again wrote saying not a single component worth a single rupee is to be manufactured by his group. He said that all 36 Rafale jets that India was buying would be manufactured from France.
Gandhi has been attacking the government for inking the deal at a much higher price than the one the previous UPA regime had negotiated. While he has accused the government of changing the deal to benefit "one businessman", his party has demanded a JPC probe into the deal.
Meanwhile, reacting to Ambani’s letter, Selja Kumari, a Congress leader from Haryana, defended her party president, stating that he did not say anything that had “defamed” Ambani.
The Congress, earlier last month, had released a set of papers alleging multiple violations by the government in procuring the Rafale deal.
A report by The Wire quoted Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala saying:
“Allegations of Reliance benefiting by thousands of crores is a figment of imagination, promoted by vested interests,” the company statement said, quoting from Ambani's letter. “Simply put, no contract exists with the Government of India.”
The businessman said his group's role is “limited to offset export obligations. More than 100 medium, small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) will participate in this, along with public sector undertakings like BEL and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).”
He said Reliance Group announced its decision to enter the defence manufacturing sector in December 2014-January 2015, "months before the intention for the purchase of Rafale aircraft".
(With PTI inputs)
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