Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was responding to questions on his “cushioned” seat on a tractor
New Delhi:
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi – mocked for sitting on cushioned seats throughout an anti-farm legal guidelines tractor rally in Punjab yesterday – hit again in the present day by accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “losing” 1000’s of crores on a set of two custom-made Boeing airplanes that “didn’t simply have a cushion however an entire lot of luxurious beds for his consolation”.
Questioning the necessity to spend such a lot of cash “when China is at our borders”, Mr Gandhi advised PM Modi solely needed the planes – one in every of which has been designated Air India One – as a result of “his buddy Donald Trump (america President) has one (Air Drive One)”.
Mr Gandhi’s remark triggered a right away response from sources within the authorities, which identified that the procurement course of for the planes – one in every of which is for VVIPs – was began below the Congress-led UPA administration and mentioned it had merely concluded the acquisition.
“Why do not you query them about this? It’s unusual that no person is asking concerning the Boeing 777 bought for this whopping quantity however everyone seems to be fast to level to a gaddi (cushion),” Mr Gandhi informed reporters in Punjab’s Patiala in the present day – the second day of this three-day rally.
“On the one, Prime Minister Modi has purchased two plane value Rs eight,000 crore. On the opposite, China is at our borders and our safety forces are braving harsh winters to guard (us),” he mentioned, including that the cushions had been positioned there by well-wishers.
A picture of Rahul Gandhi on cushioned seats on a tractor had been tweeted by Union Minister Hardeep Puri
Mr Gandhi has been a vocal critic of the Narendra Modi authorities on a number of fronts, together with its dealing with of the China border row; this morning the Congress chief declared the PM is “solely obsessed together with his picture” and had given away 1,200 sq. km of Indian territory to China.
Late within the night sources defended the federal government’s buy of the planes – which was initiated in 2011 – and mentioned Mr Gandhi was entitled to “disregard for the UPA authorities” however to not his personal details.
The sources clarified that the planes, which belong to the Indian Air Drive, are usually not “the PM’s aircrafts” however had been meant to be used by different VVIPs as properly.
Air India One, a custom-made Boeing 777 plane for President, VP, PM arrived in Delhi final week
The method of acquisition started in 2011, the sources mentioned, including that by the next yr an inter-ministerial group had advisable the Boeing 777 after ten conferences. The acquisition order was transferred to the Air Drive in 2013 and accomplished this yr, the sources defined.
The planes, they additional mentioned, had been meant to exchange these at the moment in use. These are over 25 years outdated, “incapable of lengthy, trans-Atlantic flights… and are additionally gas guzzlers of epic proportions”.
One of many planes in query – Air India One – landed at Delhi airport final week after its preliminary supply was delayed by the Covid pandemic. It’s outfitted with state-of-the-art missile defence techniques and Self-Safety Suites (SPS), know-how for which was offered by the US for $190 million.
Overall, the planes cost Rs 8,400 crore, in response to information company PTI.
At present, the President, Vice President and Prime Minister fly on Air India’s B747 planes which are used for business site visitors when not flying them.
With enter from PTI
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