"Rahul Gandhi must answer:" BJP attacks Congress over new Rafale report

New Delhi : A massive political battle has started after a local media reported of alleged kickbacks paid between 2007 and 2012 to a middleman involved in the Rafale deal, and CBI failing to investigate the allegations despite available documents.

The ruling BJP on Tuesday launched attack on Congress over alleged corruption on its watch before 2014. At the same time, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra led their party in accusing the government of a "cover-up" on corruption.

"INC (Indian National Congress) means 'I need Commission'. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Robert Vadra, all say 'I need commission'," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.

"Let Rahul Gandhi answer from Italy - why did you and your party try to spread lies about Rafale all these years? Now it has been revealed that their own government was in power in 2007 to 2012 when commissions were paid, in which a middleman's name has also come up," Mr Patra said.

The Congress said: "The latest revelations in Operation Cover-up reveal the dubious nexus between (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi government-CBI-Enforcement Directorate to bury the Rafale Corruption."

Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi also posted tweets sharing news articles on the Rafale report.