Raksha Mantri is just following customs: Singhvi
NEW DELHI : Amid a raging debate over Defence Minister Rajnath Singh performing ‘Shastra Puja’ at the Rafale jet handover event in France, a top Congress leader steered away from his party’s stance to defend the ritual. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said Rajnath Singh was “just following customs”.
Rajnath Singh’s “Shastra Puja” at the Rafale jet handover in France, which has provoked a huge debate online and also digs from opposition parties, drew the support of a lone Congress leader today.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi, veering from his party line, tweeted that the minister “is just following customs.”Mr Singhvi was responding to a tweet that mocked the rituals. Singhvi said if an Indian is performing a Pooja as per Indian customs, there is no need to deride it.
l, if an Indian is performing a Pooja as per Indian customs, there is no need to deride it. Raksha Mantri is just following customs,” Singhvi said in a tweet while responding to a post mocking Rajnath Singh’s move. Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge had described the puja as “tamasha” (drama) and said that the Congress did not “show off” when it purchased the Bofors gun.
India had ordered 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in a deal worth Rs 59,000 crore in September 2016. While the formal handover ceremony takes place this week, the first batch of four Rafale jets will fly to their home base in India by May 2020.
All 36 jets are expected to arrive in India by September 2022, for which the IAF has been reportedly undertaking preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots.
The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The manufacturers describe it as a fully versatile aircraft which can carry out all combat aviation missions to achieve air superiority and air defence, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.
The BJP retorted for a Party used to worshiping Quattrocchi, ‘Shastra Puja’ is naturally a problem. And, Kharge Ji, thank you for reminding us about the Bofors Scam.”
