Soon after the Supreme Court gave a clean chit to the central government over the Rafale fighter jet deal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a concerted attack on Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Demanding an apology from the 48-year-old Congress chief for alleging that the Rafale deal was a “scam”, BJP president Amit Shah said that today’s verdict is “a slap on politics of lies”.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Shah said that truth has won.

“We welcome the judgement of the Supreme Court, the truth has won. People were being misled by unfortunately the country’s oldest party. It’s a slap on politics of lies,” he said.

“Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the nation for misleading people. Want to ask Rahul-ji what was the source of information on basis of which he made such big allegations?” added Shah.

Mocking Congress for questioning the Supreme Court verdict, Shah said that the grand old party has lives in an imagined universe of its own where it raises questions, acts as an advocate and presides as a judge.

“Truth and justice have no place in the mythical universe of the Congress,” Shah said.

The BJP president said that his party is ready to debate the Rafale deal in Parliament.

“The Congress can discuss the matter in the House for as long as it wants,” he added.

Earlier today, Home Minister Rajnath Singh slammed Gandhi for misleading the public to reap political dividends and malign India’s image.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha today, he demanded that the Congress chief should apologise to the nation in Parliament.

“Congress president tried to mislead public for political mileage and maligned Indian image globally. He should apologise to the house and to the people of the country. He thought ‘Hum to doobe hain sanam tum ko bhi le doobenge’ (We will sink with you),” Singh said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the verdict vindicates BJP’s stand on the deal.

“TRUTH is like the Sun! Hon Supreme Court dismisses any probe into the #RafaleDeal & our stand is vindicated,” he tweeted.

Accusing Gandhi of compromising national security, Fadnavis said, “Now Rahul Gandhi and Congress must apologise to the Nation for compromising security of our country and also for defaming our country in the international community.”

He also demanded that Gandhi apologise to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

While slamming the Congress, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav said that all opposition parties for the “lies that they pedalled all these months” must apologise.

“Congress, Rahul Gandhi and some opposition parties have been making false allegations against PM Modi and our government over Rafale deal. Today SC has categorically rejected all those allegations and upheld the transparent manner in which the entire deal has been worked out,” Madhav was quoted as saying by ANI.

“It is time the opposition parties, including Rahul Gandhi, go before the people & apologise for the misleading propaganda and lies that they pedalled all these months and they should go to Parliament and say sorry,” he added.

The Congress, meanwhile, has reiterated its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the deal.

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