Centres submission that Rafale documents are missing is shameful: Shatrughan

Patna: Firing a fresh salvo at the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha on Thursday termed as shameful the submission made before the Supreme Court that documents pertaining to the Rafale deal had gone missing.

Talking to reporters here after emerging from the residence of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Sinha urged that no political meanings be attached to the courtesy call, even as he remarked that the turnout at the Prime Ministers rally in the city earlier this week was nowhere near the crowd that had gathered at the Gandhi Maidan at rallies organized by the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad in the 1990s.

Sinha refused to make any remark against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U) and would be fighting the Lok Sabha polls as an NDA partner, saying he is like my younger brother. I have never spoken against him and am not going to do so now.

Expressing resentment that for Modis rally he was neither invited nor his images figured on the posters, the Patna Sahib MP also mocked BJP national president Amit Shah, saying he is fond of making claims of prachand bahumat (thumping majority) before every election though quite often results prove to be otherwise.

Refusing to reveal his cards, the actor-turned-politician however added the time has come for decisions. The outcome will be there for all to see even as he reaffirmed as far as my constituency is concerned, Patna Sahib will remain my first and last choice.

At a time when there is so much of spotlight on the Rafale deal, the claim that documents have gone missing from the office of the defence ministry is shameful. I strongly condemn this, Sinha said.

Asked about the oppositions attacks on the prime minister for alleged irregularities in the defence deal, he said it is the norm it is the leader who receives the bouquets as well as the brickbats.

About the partys prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls wherein claims have been made that the NDA would win all the 40 seats in Bihar, he remarked these things are said to enthuse the cadre. Our party president Amit Shah is also very fond of uttering the phrase prachand bahumat. He made the claim during the recent assembly polls which was won by the Congress. He made similar claim in Bihar assembly polls of 2015, which was won by the Mahagathbandhan.

He had claimed a two-third majority for the BJP in Delhi assembly. We ended up winning two or three seats, enough to ride on a single scooter while Aam Aadmi Party led by Arvind Kejriwal made a clean sweep, Sinha remarked.

Wait for a month, it will become clear which way the wind is blowing at present, the actor-politician popularly known as "Bihari Babu" added.

He also denounced leaders like Shah, Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh and Yogi Adityanath for having come out with varying figures of casualties in the Balakot airstrikes without any proper basis.

It is essential that they come out with some concrete details to boost the morale of the nation. Something which could convince the people of the country that something tangible has been achieved. Many countries in the world have done so, Sinha remarked.

About his meeting with Rabri Devi, Sinha pointed out I had met Lalu in Ranchi last week. He is a family friend. So it was imperative that when I come here I meet either his wife or children. My visit should be seen in the same light and no political meanings should be attached.