Rahul Visits Ailing Parrikar In Goa

Panaji: Just a day after he raked up the Goa audio tape issue which claimed Manohar Parrikar was in possession of explosion Rafale secrets, Congress president Rahul Gandhi visited him at his office here.

Though it remained unclear what the two leaders discussed, Rahul in his tweet said “it was a personal visit”. Goa Congress also dismissed speculations, saying Rahul did not raise the Rafale issue with Parrikar, who has unwell due to a pancreatic condition. He is under treatment.

“This morning, I visited Goa CM, Manohar Parrikar, to wish him speedy recovery. It was a personal visit…,” Rahul tweeted.

 

Earlier in a tweet on Monday, the Congress president had come down heavily over inaction or probe into Goa audio tapes, saying that even 30 days after its release, no action against the minister has also been initiated who reportedly revealed about the tapes.

“Its obvious that the tapes are authentic and that Goa CM, Parrikar, is in possession of explosive Rafale secrets, that give him power over the PM,” he had tweeted.

 

The Congress claimed that Parrikar, who was defence minister when the deal for 36 Rafale jets was signed between India and France, had said at a meeting of the Goa cabinet that no one could remove him as “all the Rafale papers are in my flat, in my bedroom”. Vishwajit Rane, the Goa health minister, is on tape relating this conversation, claimed the Congress.

Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are on a vacation in Goa. On Monday, the Congress chief flew down to Chattisgarh for a rally before returning to Goa. After meeting Mr Parrikar, Rahul Gandhi dashed to Kochi.

The BJP in Goa said the Congress should “learn a lesson” from its chief. “It is very nice of him to do so. It should teach a lesson to the local unit of the Congress which has been troubling Mr Parrikar. He dropped in to just ask about his health,” BJP leader Vijay Sardesai said.