Rahul used Parrikar's ill-health for political gain, says son

Panaji, Nov 14 (IANS) Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi used the Rafale deal rhetoric for political gain, just as he used former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's ill-health for the same purpose, the latter's son Utpal Parrikar said on Thursday."#RafaleVerdict is out and I hope this is a good learning experience for @RahulGandhi. I can give benefit of doubt that he did all this as part of ill-planned political game, just the way he used visit to my ailing father for politics," Utpal tweeted after the Supreme Court on Thursday turned down a review petition seeking a probe into the multi-billion rupee Rafale fighter jet purchase from the French government. The BJP had cried foul after Rahul Gandhi called on an ailing Parrikar in January this year for a "courtesy visit", and later allegedly used the meeting to take forward his anti-Rafale deal campaign. Parrikar, who also served as Goa CM on four occasions, died on March 17 this year following a prolonged battle with cancer.
--IANS maya/rs/bg