'Used Visit For Petty Political Gains': Manohar Parrikar Slams Rahul Gandhi

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar slammed Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday in a letter stating that the two did not discuss the Rafale deal during a brief meeting and that the Congress president was using a courtesy visit for "petty political gains".

The former defence minister who is currently battling a serious pancreatic illness said in a letter. The ailing minister had presented the state budget in the assembly with a tube in his nose, on Tuesday.

Below is an excerpt from the letter.

"However reading media reports covering your visit to my office has caused me distress. It is reported in the media today that you have said quoting me that I was nowhere in the process of procuring Rafale nor did I have any information then about it. I feel let down that you have used this visit for your petty political gains. In the 5 minutes you spent with me, neither did you mention anything about Rafale, nor did we discuss anything about/related to it. Nothing whatsoever about Rafale was even mentioned in your meeting with me.�

"Paying a courtesy visit and then stooping so low as to make a false statement for petty political gain has raised, in my mind, questions about the sincerity and purpose of your visit itself," he added.

On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi had paid a visit to Parrikar and tweeted that it was a personal visit to wish him a speedy recovery. Following the visit he addressed booth level party workers in Kochi where he made the following claim.

Rahul Gandhi claimed Parrikar admitted that the prime minister did not consult the defence minister while changing terms of the deal.