Prepared for discussion on Rafale: Kharge says in Lok Sabha

New Delhi, Dec 31 Congress Monday said in Lok Sabha that it is prepared for a discussion on the Rafale jet deal on Wednesday.

"Jaitley ji has tossed a test ... we are ready for a discussion on January 2. It would be ideal if you choose a period," Congress Leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said.

He made these remarks not long after the House gave its gesture to extra gross use of Rs 85,948.86 crore amid the current financial completion March 2019.

At 2.00 PM, when the House was to take up talk on Supplementary Demands for Grants, Kharge rehashed his interest for a joint parliamentary council to test the Rafale deal.

At this, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Kharge should start the talk on the issue promptly and stated that the administration was prepared to give an answer.

Kharge, he said, was "running away" from discussion.

Stressing that there should a talk on Rafale deal, Jaitley said he would demonstrate that the Congress party was spreading lies over the deal.

At the point when the House was going to be dismissed for the day, Kharge helped Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to remember the discussion and looked for a period for it.

Mahajan said she will settle on the planning however Kharge can't extricate a choice on the date and time quickly.

"You remain quiet about your difficulties. Try not to provoke me," an obviously annoyed Mahajan said.

Prior in the day, Congress had again looked to raise the issue of supposed trick in the Rafale deal in Lok Sabha, welcoming a sharp response from the legislature expressing the Opposition ought not "run away" from a discussion on the issue.

Congress members have been raising the issue since the beginning of the Winter Session of Parliament on December 11, requesting a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) test into the Rafale deal.

During the Zero Hour, party members trooped into the Well displaying placards and shouting slogans on the issue.

Raising the issue, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge alleged there has been a trick in the arrangement and inquired as to why the government was not disclosing the price of jets.

He also demanded a JPC test into the Rafale deal amid loud protests from BJP members.

In response, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said rehashing a similar lie and again would not make it a truth.

The legislature is prepared for exchange on the issue yet for what reason is the Congress "running way", the minister asked.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi was available in the House.

The Opposition has also been raising the issue outside Parliament.