TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ Dassault Aviation Chief Executive Officer Eric Trappier in an exclusive interview rubbished allegations made by Congress president Rahul Gandhi that the former lied about the details of the Dassault-Reliance joint venture for offset contracts in the Rafale Jet deal.
“I don’t lie. The truth I declared before and the statements I made are true. I don’t have a reputation of lying. In my position as CEO, you don’t lie,” said Trappier when asked to respond to Rahul Gandhi’s charge that Dassault was covering up for possible cronyism in awarding the offset deal to Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group.
Rahul Gandhi, in a press conference on November 2, alleged that Dassault invested Rs 284 crore in a loss-making company promoted by Anil Ambani which was used to procure land in Nagpur. “It is clear the Dassault CEO is lying. If an inquiry starts on this Modi is not going to survive it. Guaranteed,” added Gandhi.
“We have a long experience with the Congress party. Our first deal was with India in 1953 with Nehru and later with other prime ministers. We have been working with India. We are not working for any party. We are supplying strategic products like fighters to the Indian Air Force and the Indian government. That is what is most important,” said Trappier.
