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Rafale deal allegations are a disservice to armed forces and nation: Nirmala Sitharaman slams Rahul Gandhi

Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today that allegations relating to the procurement deal for 36 Rafale fighter jet were "shameful" and that such bickering was a "disservice" to the armed forces.

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Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today that allegations relating to the procurement deal for 36 Rafale fighter jet were "shameful" and that such bickering was a "disservice" to the armed forces.

Her remarks came a day after the Congress accused the prime minister of changing the "entire deal" to benefit a businessman.

"These allegations are shameful...The deal was finalised following a transparent procedure," Sitharaman told reporters.

The defence minister also called the bickering against the deal as "disservice" to the armed forces, asserting that urgent requirement of the Indian Air Force was the main reason for sealing it.

The defence minister said the final agreement for 36 Rafale jets was signed in September, 2016, after five rounds of lengthy discussions between Indian and French sides and approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security.

She said the UPA government had sat over the proposed procurement of jets for 10 years.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) said that there was "no overpricing" in the Rafale purchase as the government had "negotiated a very good" deal for the French fighter aircraft.

"It is not overpricing... We have negotiated for 36 French fighter aircraft Rafale (at a price) lower than that in the contract. The government has negotiated a very good deal," Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said.

Stressing that it was a "government-to-government contract", he told the media at the Adampur Air Force station near here that the IAF was getting 36 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) at a greatly "negotiated price".

"It is definitely a better deal. It is lower than what was there in the MRMCA contract," he said without going into specifics.

Hitting at the government over the same issue, Gandhi, who was talking to reporters after addressing a meeting of his party’s newly-formed wing All India Unorganised Workers Congress (AIUWC), said, “I happily answer all your questions fortnightly. Why don’t you question Prime Minister Modi on the Rafale deal, or on Amit Shah’s son. Why don’t you ask frankly about these. Why don’t you question the PM who changed the entire Rafale deal to help a businessman?” 


Gandhi also put out tweets taking a jibe at the government over Rafale deal and alleged a ‘loot’.
“Modiji nice touch removing the suit. What about the loot?,” he tweeted tagging a report on the Rafale deal.
He also tweeted, “Can you explain ‘Reliance’ on someone with nil experience in aerospace for Rafale deal? Self ‘Reliance’ is obviously a critical aspect of ‘Make in India’.”

 

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