Rahul Gandhi led a blistering Congress attack on Narendra Modi on Saturday as he reiterated that the Prime Minister had “betrayed India’s soul” after former French President Francois Hollande’s remarks contradicted the Indian government’s stand on the Rafale deal.

“The PM and Anil Ambani jointly carried out a One Hundred & Thirty Thousand Crore, SURGICAL STRIKE on the Indian Defence forces. Modi Ji you dishonoured the blood of our martyred soldiers. Shame on you. You betrayed India's soul,” he tweeted.

He arrived at the mammoth figure by adding the value of offset contracts, saying the actual benefit due to the deal is of USD 20 billion, equivalent to Rs 1,30,000 crore.

The Congress chief has repeatedly targeted the PM and defence minister Nirmala Sithraman over the fighter aircraft deal, demanding their resignation over alleged corruption and cronyism.

His allegations were bolstered on Friday evening by Hollande, who told a French media outlet that the Indian government had proposed Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence as the India partner in the Rafale fighter jet deal and not given them a choice.

Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets for Rs 58,000 crore after holding talks with then French President Hollande on April 10, 2015, in Paris.

Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale, had chosen Anil Ambani’s firm as its partner to fulfill offset obligations of the deal. The government has been maintaining it did not have any role in selection of the offset partner by Dassault.

"The PM personally negotiated & changed the Rafale deal behind closed doors. Thanks to François Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt Anil Ambani. The PM has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers,” Gandhi had said on Friday.

Hours after Hollande’s remarks, the French government issued a statement denying the claims. It asserted that French companies have the full freedom to select Indian firms for the contract. It added that it was not involved in any manner in the choice of Indian industrial partners for the Rafale deal.

"The French government is in no manner involved in the choice of Indian industrial partners who have been, are being, or will be selected by French companies," it said. Dassault Aviation, the makers of Rafale, also said it decided to make a partnership with the Anil Ambani firm in accordance with the policy of 'Make in India' and the decision was purely its own.

But the clarifications have not stopped the Congress from going on the offensive, with several other leaders lambasting the government, saying that the “truth has come out”.

Senior party leader Kapil Sibal said Hollande had “spilled the beans” and it was time for the Modi government to “come clean and tell the truth”.

Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said ‘facts’ have cut through the ‘fog’ and obfuscation and smokescreens won’t cover the ‘tracks of corruption’. He promised that Congress will make revelations about the deal soon.

Leaders of the Left and the Aam Aadmi Party among others have also lashed out at the government after Hollande's comments were reported.

"Rafale deal is a scam if there was one. The Modi govt has lied and misled Indians. The whole truth must come out now. Why was the Indian government batting for one corporate house with no experience in defence manufacture? # Cronyism # Corruption # Scam,” CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury wrote on Twitter.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also urged the Prime Minister to reveal the “complete truth”, saying, “The nation wants to know the truth. The complete truth. Everyday statements by Government of India are being proven lies. People have started to believe there was a massive bungling; why else would a new lie be told every day?”