New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday fired a fresh salvo at the BJP, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of favouring private firms over government companies in giving defence contracts.
"The government is favouring private entities over the government firms. The private companies are minting millions. The Prime Minister had coined a slogan, 'Na Khaunga, Naa Khilaunga' which has fallen apart," Congress leader and Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu told reporters here.
Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Modi's 'Mein Bhi Chowkidar' (I too am a watchman) campaign, Sidhu claimed that the 'Chowkidar' is found outside rich houses where the poor are prohibited.
Reading out a media report, Sidhu alleged that Modi travelled to 55 countries with businessmen Anil Ambani and Gautam Adani, where 18 agreements on defence projects were signed.
"In 2015, Modi went to Russia with Ambani. Reliance defence, which has a debt of Rs 7,500 crore, signed the deal for an air-defence system with Russia worth USD 6 billion," he said.
Raking up the Rafale deal issue, Sidhu accused Modi of favouring Reliance Defence as the offset partner.
"PM Modi went to France where he made Ambani's company an offset partner. The deal was worth Rs 30,000 crore. For 18 flyaway aircraft, technology was to be transferred and the aircraft was to be manufactured in India, which would have given a fillip to employment in our country."