Dassault CEO's statement slap on Rahul Gandhi's face: Manoj Tiwari

Dassault CEO Eric Trappier in a media interview defended the Rs 58,000 crore-Rafale deal between India and France.

Dehradun: Terming Dassault CEO Eric Trappier's recent statement on the Rafale deal as a "slap on the face of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi", Delhi BJP unit chief Manoj Tiwari said speaking a lie again and again did not turn it into truth. 

The BJP leader, who was here to campaign for party candidates in the forthcoming civic body polls, said Wednesday, "The Congress president seems to believe that telling a lie again and again makes it a truth, but the Dassault CEO's statement is a slap on his face". 

He was speaking to reporters at the state BJP office here.

Trappier had in a media interview defended the Rs 58,000 crore-Rafale deal between India and France. He had claimed no wrong-doing and said his company chose Reliance as an offset partner. 

When asked about Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) prospects in the November 18 civic body polls, Tiwari evaded a direct reply. He nevertheless added that the recent attack on him by the "AAP's goons" in front of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at Signature Bridge in the national capital had "exposed the party".

Tiwari, who is also a popular Bhojpuri film actor, addressed several election meetings, especially in the pockets populated predominantly by people from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Claiming that the BJP was the only party which worked for development, the Delhi party unit chief said putting it (BJP) at the helm in civic bodies would accelerate development as the party was in power both in the state and the Centre. 

He also clicked selfies with youngsters and sang songs of Chhath Puja to woo the voters.