Why the Rafale aircraft controversy is a gift that keeps on giving
The Rafale controversy has been hogging the limelight in the national media for quite some time now. Despite being in the works for well over a decade, this defence deal with the French firm, Dassault Aviation, still remains shrouded in mystery.
But despite transparency being the need of the hour, all we've been getting are half-truths served with a generous helping of allegations and counter-allegations by the country's biggest political parties – the BJP and Congress. And to complicate matters some more, former French president Francois Hollande stirred the pot recently by claiming that the Indian government had “proposed” Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence as the offset partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rafale aircraft deal.
The particular claim has given a new lease of life to the ongoing controversy and dealt a serious blow to PM Modi's claims of "corruption-free governance".
But more importantly, it gave the Twitterati a chance to do what they know best – flood the internet with memes and (at times bad) jokes.
In the spirit of Surgical Strike Diwas, Hollande has done a surgical strike on Modi Sarkar ????#Rafale
— Preeti Sharma Menon (@PreetiSMenon) September 21, 2018
It's Over priced Rafale deal But #ChorPMChupHai pic.twitter.com/9WVq6l6K46
— Abhilash Pati (@Abhilash_INC) September 24, 2018
That's how our chowkidar works. #Rafale pic.twitter.com/xsVPQNxYXE
— Rafale Gandhi (@RoflGandhi_) September 22, 2018
Congress has given proof of Rafale and Ambani link up. pic.twitter.com/tf0FLiZwQS
— ???????????????????????????? (@my2bit) September 24, 2018
???????????? BJP is cornered with the Rafale Scam. Don't forget to educate your friends and families about this huge scam.@AshokTanwar_INC @MLAGurugram @SunilSharmaRtk3 pic.twitter.com/EX32zPs3vY
— Akshay Lather (@akshaylather91) September 24, 2018
माँ गंगा का लाल निकला अंबानी का दलाल मेरा PM चोर है..#Rafale#चौकीदार_ही_चोर_है #Mera_PM_Chor_Hai pic.twitter.com/kg089SpQDF
— Nitin shinde (@nitin0509r) September 24, 2018
RAFALE SCAM pic.twitter.com/Xv6yZIH4D6
— subeesh ETK (@EtkSubeesh) September 24, 2018
RAFALE SCAM pic.twitter.com/i5LIOgR6FD
— subeesh ETK (@EtkSubeesh) September 24, 2018
— Rafale Ajit (@paediatric_inc) September 24, 2018
Commander in thief pic.twitter.com/rFGMfACIYR
— Rafale Ajit (@paediatric_inc) September 24, 2018
But this wasn't all.
Like a gift that keeps on giving, over the past week, the Rafale deal controversy also gave us a gem in the form of a tweet by the saviour of India's confused youth, Chetan Bhagat. The author took to Twitter on Saturday to help millions of simpletons by explaining the Rafale controversy with the help of a "simplified analogy".
#RafaelDeal simplified analogy. Say you order mithai for the neighbourhood, but tell the halwai to take the milk from your bhaiya only. Did someone actually say that? Was milk taken at a fair price? Did halwai choose the milk seller on his own based on quality? We don’t know yet.
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) September 22, 2018
However, as it turns out, the analogy ended up being too simple for his own good as Bhagat ended up equating the multi-billion dollar fighter jets to "mithai" made by your neighbourhood "halwai".
Well, in Twitterverse that's faux pas 101 for you.
Understandably, all hell broke loose and Bhagat and his tweet became the butt of some not so meetha jokes.
So you like it rough huh? ???? https://t.co/Yq2gHDjWQK
— pinky.thakur (@pinky076) September 23, 2018
Chaiwala chose the bhaiya who promised to give him free ghee, if he got him the mithaiwala's contract. Chaiwala convinced mithai wala that the only milk seller in town was his milk supplier.
— Mehek (@MehekF) September 22, 2018
Chetan, competition to pallavi joshi:-)On a serious note, No! The ready to eat Mithai was bought from far off shop with their milk,ghee,dry fruits, sugar & dabba too but had a deal to partner with local shops for procuring khoya,Chenna,dabba etc for all kinds of mithai in future!
— Madhura (@St_Madhura) September 22, 2018
But mithaiwala had earlier entered into an agreement with world renowned public sector firm “Amul” for supply of good quality milk.Also, neighborhood milk vendor doesn’t even has a cow. In fact he was only a chicken/egg vendor. How will the mithaiwala verify the quality of milk?
— Truth, z way of Life (@MrRightCenter) September 22, 2018
.@chetan_bhagat1. Neighbourhood bhaiya is a notorious businessman 2. Bhaiya never ever produced milk3. We have our own Cow Milk Dairy (HAL) producing high quality milk for 60+ yrs.Why choose neighbourhood business bhaiya over own dairy?4. Mithai cost Manifold now#RafaleScam https://t.co/tL3BKYmrTT
— Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) September 22, 2018
Please don't buy/read his books. For a writer, what the bhindi analogy is this! https://t.co/Liljqoacxa
— Amrita Marik (@amarik1801) September 23, 2018
It is "Rafale" and not Rafael. We aren't talking about the Tennis player.This tweet is a reflection of your stupidity and the miscarriage of education in our IIMs. Don't say something political just for the sake of it.Ride around Ola cabs & write shitty novels. https://t.co/52t0JzJIJO
— Am I Write? (@WordsSlay) September 22, 2018
Well, as we said, a gift that just keeps on giving.