Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Shrikant Sharma Sunday asked the Congress to explain why the UPA government had not finalised the Rafale deal even after starting the process to procure the fighter jets.

"(Congress president) Rahul Gandhi should explain, why the Congress could not finalise the deal in over seven years, even though it started the process in 2007," he told reporters here.

The BJP leader also asked if the Congress was waiting for some Ottavio Quattrocchi to come and finalise the deal.&nbsp;

Quattrocchi was the key accused in Bofors scam

The Congress chief is unnecessarily raising the Rafale issue, he said.

"It also seems Rahul himself is not sure about the cost of the Rafale fighter aircraft as there is a variation in the cost of the fighter jets mentioned by him from time to time," the UP minister said.

Quoting Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, he said Gandhi claimed a price of Rs 700 crore per aircraft in Delhi and Karnataka in April and May, and in Parliament, he reduced it to Rs 520 crore per jet.&nbsp;

In Raipur, the Congress chief said the price as Rs 520 crore and Rs 540 crore per aircraft in the same speech, Sharma claimed.

To a question, he said, on moral grounds, Gandhi should answer the questions raised by the Union finance minister.

He also asked why the Congress chief was insisting that the government disclose the price of Rafale jets.

"The price is not being quoted as by revealing it, the enemy would not only locate the nature of fighter aircraft, but would prepare accordingly," the minister said.

Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Shrikant Sharma Sunday asked the Congress to explain why the UPA government had not finalised the Rafale deal even after starting the process to procure the fighter jets.

Uttar Pradesh Power Minister Shrikant Sharma Sunday asked the Congress to explain why the UPA government had not finalised the Rafale deal even after starting the process to procure the fighter jets. "(Congress president) Rahul Gandhi should explain, why the Congress could not finalise the deal in over seven years, even though it started the process in 2007," he told reporters here. The BJP leader also asked if the Congress was waiting for some Ottavio Quattrocchi to come and finalise the deal. Quattrocchi was the key accused in Bofors scam The Congress chief is unnecessarily raising the Rafale issue, he said. "It also seems Rahul himself is not sure about the cost of the Rafale fighter aircraft as there is a variation in the cost of the fighter jets mentioned by him from time to time," the UP minister said. Quoting Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, he said Gandhi claimed a price of Rs 700 crore per aircraft in Delhi and Karnataka in April and May, and in Parliament, he reduced it to Rs 520 crore per jet. In Raipur, the Congress chief said the price as Rs 520 crore and Rs 540 crore per aircraft in the same speech, Sharma claimed. To a question, he said, on moral grounds, Gandhi should answer the questions raised by the Union finance minister. He also asked why the Congress chief was insisting that the government disclose the price of Rafale jets. "The price is not being quoted as by revealing it, the enemy would not only locate the nature of fighter aircraft, but would prepare accordingly," the minister said.

Why didn't UPA finalise Rafale deal after starting process? UP Minister

During an event in Ballia on Sunday, Om Prakash Rajbhar dared people not to attend any other party's rally, else he would curse them to the extent that they suffer from jaundice. Last month, the leader faced public ire for saying Rajputs and Yadavs consumed more liquor than others.&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp

Addressing the function, Rajbhar said, “Jab tak meri team rally ka sandesh lekar aapke pass nahi jaayegi, tab tak kisi aur party ki rally me agar koi gaya toh usko OP Rajbhar ka shraap lagega, peeliya ho jaayega, theek tabhi hoga jab OP Rajbhar ki dawai loge. (Until my team approach you with the message of rally, and meanwhile if somebody attends the rally of any other party then he/she will have to face my curse. He will suffer from jaundice and it will be only cured when OP Rajbhar provides medicine.)” &nbsp 
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> UP Minister OP Rajbhar at an event in Ballia says 'Jab tak meri team rally ka sandesh lekar aapke pass nahi jaayegi, tab tak kisi aur Party ki rally agar koi gaya toh usko OP Rajbhar ka shraap lagega, peeliya ho jaayega, theek tabhi hoga jab OP Rajbhar ki dawai loge.' <a href="https://t.co/xHQ6IwNepN">pic.twitter.com/xHQ6IwNepN</a>
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Last week, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Rajbhar dared the BJP to sack him and snap the alliance between the two parties, a day after he had been reprimanded for “maligning the Uttar Pradesh government” by the state BJP president.

During an event in Ballia on Sunday, Om Prakash Rajbhar dared people not to attend any other party's rally, else he would curse them to the extent that they suffer from jaundice. Last month, the leader faced public ire for saying Rajputs and Yadavs consumed more liquor than others. Addressing the function, Rajbhar said, “Jab tak meri team rally ka sandesh lekar aapke pass nahi jaayegi, tab tak kisi aur party ki rally me agar koi gaya toh usko OP Rajbhar ka shraap lagega, peeliya ho jaayega, theek tabhi hoga jab OP Rajbhar ki dawai loge. (Until my team approach you with the message of rally, and meanwhile if somebody attends the rally of any other party then he/she will have to face my curse. He will suffer from jaundice and it will be only cured when OP Rajbhar provides medicine.)” #WATCH UP Minister OP Rajbhar at an event in Ballia says 'Jab tak meri team rally ka sandesh lekar aapke pass nahi jaayegi, tab tak kisi aur Party ki rally agar koi gaya toh usko OP Rajbhar ka shraap lagega, peeliya ho jaayega, theek tabhi hoga jab OP Rajbhar ki dawai loge.' pic.twitter.com/xHQ6IwNepN — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 20, 2018 ×

UP minister OP Rajbhar curses crowd with 'jaundice' remark

Protesters hurled tomatoes and eggs on Saturday at the home of Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar for saying that Rajputs and Yadavs consume more liquor than others.

Youths, some of them wearing red caps, mobbed the minister's official residence in Hazratganj area this afternoon, raising slogans and damaging his nameplate. Reacting to the minister's remarks, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, "It is people who use intoxicants, not any caste."

Rajbhar had made the controversial remarks in Varanasi on Friday while arguing against drinking.

While calling for a ban on alcohol in the state, Uttar Pradesh Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar said that people belonging to Rajput and Yadav caste consume more liquor than others.He further said that drinking alcohol is the"ancestral business" of both the castes.

Rajbhar, who heads the backward classes welfare portfolio in the UP Cabinet, is a leader of BJP ally, Suheldev Bharatiya Party.

He has courted controversy earlier with his criticism of the performance of the Yogi Adityanath government in the state.

In another controversial on drinking, he had said, "If someone offers you liquor, consume it but vote as per you discretion." Police said nobody has been detained yet over the protests at the minister's home.

"We are probing the matter," an officer said.

Rajbhar had made the controversial remarks in Varanasi on Friday while arguing against drinking.

Protesters hurled tomatoes and eggs on Saturday at the home of Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar for saying that Rajputs and Yadavs consume more liquor than others. Youths, some of them wearing red caps, mobbed the minister's official residence in Hazratganj area this afternoon, raising slogans and damaging his nameplate. Reacting to the minister's remarks, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, "It is people who use intoxicants, not any caste." Rajbhar had made the controversial remarks in Varanasi on Friday while arguing against drinking. While calling for a ban on alcohol in the state, Uttar Pradesh Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar said that people belonging to Rajput and Yadav caste consume more liquor than others.He further said that drinking alcohol is the"ancestral business" of both the castes. Rajbhar, who heads the backward classes welfare portfolio in the UP Cabinet, is a leader of BJP ally, Suheldev Bharatiya Party. He has courted controversy earlier with his criticism of the performance of the Yogi Adityanath government in the state. In another controversial on drinking, he had said, "If someone offers you liquor, consume it but vote as per you discretion." Police said nobody has been detained yet over the protests at the minister's home. "We are probing the matter," an officer said.

Protest at UP minister's home for saying 'Rajputs and Yadavs consume more liquor than others'

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Why didn't UPA finalise Rafale deal after starting process? UP Minister

UP minister OP Rajbhar curses crowd with 'jaundice' remark

Protest at UP minister's home for saying 'Rajputs and Yadavs consume more liquor than others'