Congress raises decibel on Rafale.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi today attacked the government over what he called "the great Rafale mystery", alleging that there was a "scam" in the fighter aircraft deal between India and France which was "personally got done" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his "reliable buddy".
The Congress president also said that it was "for the first time" that the country's defence minister (Nirmala Sitharaman) was not sharing the purchase price of the aircraft as he asked the media why it was not raising questions on the issue. "Top Secret (Not for Distribution)/the defence minister says the price negotiated for each Rafale jet by the prime minister and his 'reliable' buddy is a state secret," he tweeted, without naming the "reliable buddy".
He claimed in the tweet that the government has adopted a two-point action plan, whereby it would say "informing Parliament about the price is a national security threat" and "brand" those asking about it as "anti-nationals".
Gandhi's attack came a day after Sitharaman refused to share the details of the deal on the grounds of security agreement signed between India and France in 2008. Her response was to a written question in Rajya Sabha by Samajwadi Party member Naresh Agrawal, who had asked whether the government did not want to disclose in public domain the agreement between India and France for purchasing the aircraft. "Modi ji has personally got the deal done. Modi ji had personally gone to Paris. Personally the deal was changed. Entire India knows it," he told reporters outside the Parliament.
"And the defence minister is saying she will not inform India, the Indian martyrs and their relatives about the money spent on buying those aircraft. What does this mean? This only means there is some scam," he alleged.
Gandhi said he had raised the issue during the Gujarat assembly polls as well.
The Congress today accused the NDA government of compromising national interest and security with the Rafale fighter aircraft deal, saying that a scam "was brewing" as there was no transparency in the negotiations.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the government is not ready to disclose the price of the Rafale aircraft in Parliament, which raises doubts on its intent. "Modi government is indulging in an unforgivable game of compromising 'national interests' and 'national security'. A 'huge scam' is brewing in the procurement of fighter aircraft for Indian Air Force," he alleged
"Grave apprehensions and claims of insurmountable loss being caused to public exchequer are in public domain with the government refusing to state the truth," Azad told reporters. At a joint briefing with Congress communications incharge Randeep Surjewala and party spokesperson Rajeev Gowda, the leaders said it is time the prime minister answers eight questions posed by the Congress on the Rafale deal, on which the government has adopted "a complete and studied silence". They alleged "complete non-transparency in disclosure of purchase price of aircraft, flagrant violation of the mandatory provisions of 'Defence Procurement Procedure' and prior clearance from 'Cabinet Committee on Security'".
These factors and "sacrificing national interests on 'Transfer of Technology' and blatant promotion of financial interests of 'crony capitalist friends' by prime minister have marred the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft by Modi government from Dassault Aviation of France," the joint statement said.
The Congress leaders also accused the Modi government of adopting "lame duck diversionary tactics" on the Rafale deal, saying it is time the prime minister answers questions of the people of India. Azad said the government must disclose the price of 36 fighter aircraft which Modi purchased off-the-shelf during his visit to France in violation of the set procedures. He alleged that as per information the per aircraft price during NDA comes to Rs 1570.8 crore, against Rs 526.1 crore negotiated during the UPA.
He also said "while the aircraft was sold for Rs 694.8 crore to Qatar by the same company, why was it sold for 100 per cent more price to India". "Why are prime minister and defence minister hiding the purchase price?" he asked. Surjewala asked, "How did the prime minister take a unilateral decision to buy 36 Rafale aircraft by violating the mandatory 'Defence Procurement Procedure and in absence of an inter-governmental agreement with France at that time?"
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