On July 18, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan accepted the no-confidence motion raised by Opposition parties against the Narendra Modi government. Two days later, on July 20, the motion was debated upon. With leaders from across party lines, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Rajnath Singh, arguing on the floor of the house, Twitter exploded with hashtags and trends. These ranged from #NoConfidenceMotion, #NoConfidencePolitics, #RahulHugsModi, Rajnath Singh, Rafale and more.

Addressing the house, Gandhi, on Friday, took on the Modi government on several issues, including jobs, employment, petrol prices, women’s safety, ‘secrecy pact with France over Rafale’ deal, among other things. Speaking about the Rafale deal, the Congress President accused the government of “lying” to the nation on the issue of sharing details of the Rafale jet deal.

In 2015, India had requested ‘rapid delivery’ of 36 Rafale aircraft in flyaway condition from France; the first squadrons are set to join the IAF fleet by September 2019. Raising several questions over the deal, the Congress had alleged that the government had overpaid for the aircraft leading to a massive loss to the exchequer.

Accusing Modi of alleged graft, Gandhi said, the truth is that Modi is not a chowkidar but a bhagidaar in the wrong-doings. Earlier, the Congress Party has demanded details, including the cost of equipment and weapons, but the government has refused to share them citing a secrecy pact with France.

Gandhi also trained his guns at Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Congress chief has alleged that Sitharaman has been “lying to the country under pressure from the prime minister”.

Gandhi said: “I personally met the French president and asked him if there is such a pact between the French and Indian governments. The French president told me that there is no such pact between the French and Indian governments.” He added: “This is the truth, and he told me that I have no objection to it (details of Rafale deal) being made public, you can tell it to entire India.”

“Who is being helped, why is the help being given, Nirmalaji?” Gandhi asked, adding, “the prime minister should tell the country.”

Responding to Gandhi, Sitharaman rejected these remarks. She said: “Secrecy agreement with France was signed in 2008 and the Rafale deal was also covered in it.’

The Indian Express also quoted her as saying: “As per article 10 of the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) between India and France, on purchase of Rafale aircraft, protection of classified information and materials exchanged under IGA shall be governed by provisions of the security agreement signed on January 25, 2008.”

Subsequently, the French government also issued a statement. This stated: “France and India concluded in 2008 a Security agreement, which legally binds the two States to protect the classified information provided by the partner that could impact security and operational capabilities of the defence equipment of India or France.”

Referring to Sitharaman’s earlier statement, the statement issued by the French authorities stated: “These provisions naturally apply to the IGA concluded on 23 September 2016 on the acquisition of 36 Rafale aircraft and their weapons.”

Following this France and India became another Twitter trend.