Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday opened the debate in Lok Sabha on the Rafale jet deal.
The heated discussion on Rafale in Lok Sabha had to stop midway because of massive disruption caused by AIADMK MPs demanding justice over host of issues. Earlier, the opposition tried to corner government over the Rafale deal and Arun Jaitley came out all guns blazing defending the deal. Shiv Sena caused embarrasment to the NDA by demanding a JPC in the Rafale deal, which is also what the opposition is asking for. Government on its part has rejected demand of JPC.
Here's how the discussion happened:
17:12 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: House adjourned for the day.
17:10 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: AIADMK lawmakers suspended for five sittings for entering the well of the House and disrupting proceedings.
16:55 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourns House till 5 pm.
16:48 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: When your own alliance partner (Shiv Sena) is casting doubts over your conduct the whole country then has questions over the deal: Dhananjay Bhimrao Mahadik, NCP
16:36 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant:
What kind of an offset contractor is this, where the company exists only on paper?
On the other hand, HAL has everything.
If the government’s hands are clean like it is saying, then where is the need to be afraid of a JPC.
Let there be a JPC to look into it, and let it affirm if the government is indeed clean.
16:26 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: BJD’s Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo:
There are questions that arise about the pricing, irrespective of whether Supreme Court went into the pricing issue or not.
Qatar has bought the same planes at a much cheaper price than India.
All we seek is information. Nobody wants the deal to be scrapped.
When the Finance Minister can state that the deal is nine percent cheaper than the UPA deal, where is the secret in pricing?
16:22 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: TMC's Saugata Roy:
It is pathetic that NDA had to borrow a member from the Rajya Sabha to speak on the Rafale issue, and that he had to reply on the Rafale deal instead of the Defence Minister.
Mamata Banerjee wants transparency in all defence issues. We will not indulge in finger-pointing.
Narendra Modi is hiding behind Arun Jaitley.
The price negotiated at the time of UPA was Rs 526 crore. Why have 36 aircraft been bought for Rs 1,671 crore each?
Why did a private company, instead of HAL, act as a private partner?
Manohar Parrikar said that papers related to Rafale were in his bedroom. Why is he saying now, in a very sick state, that he is in possession of all papers related to Rafale?
Some questions remain unanswered. Why Rs 1,670 crore instead of Rs 526 crore? Why 36 jets in place of 126 jets?
The money trail goes up to Mumbai and Nagpur, where Reliance Aerospace Defence is located.
15:45 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: It is a matter of pride for us that HAL, a public sector company builts Rafale, but it is a matter of national security that these aircraft are acquired as soon as possible: Arun Jaitley
15:40 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Jaitley repeatedly quotes Supreme Court verdict on Rafale deal
15:37 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Both weaponised and non-weaponised Rafale jets are cheaper than what UPA had negotiated: Arun Jaitley
15:31 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Arun Jaitley resumes speaking in Lok Sabha
15:00 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourns the House till 3:30 pm
14:53 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: If the fingers point at you in AugustaWestland, National Herald and Bofors, then it is a bit too much. Today, they have the audacity to raise an allegation against us: Arun Jaitley
14:50 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Jaitley says Indian Air Force raised the need of Rafale-like aircraft after Kargil war
14:48 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Jaitley targets Congress over Bofors, AgustaWestland and National Herald case
14:45 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: The Congress president only understands money, and he can never understand the nation and national security: Arun Jaitley
14:44 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: On the last occasion, he (Rahul Gandhi) manufactured a conversation between him and the former French President. Today, he repeats the same. Today, he tried to produce a tap but he is too scared to authenticate it: Arun Jaitley
14:40 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Union Minister Arun Jaitley responds to Rahul Gandhi's allegations on Rafale deal
14:38 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: We demand a JPC in this matter, BJP should not be scared. JPC probe will clear everything: Rahul Gandhi
14:35 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Rahul Gandhi says he won't play the clip after Speaker disallows
14:23 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Lok Sabha adjourned till 2:30 PM after uproar
14:21 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: First pillar is process, second is pricing and the third and most interesting is patronage. Senior officers of the IAF chose Rafale after long negotiations, IAF wanted 126 aircraft, why was the demand changed to 36?: Rahul Gandhi
14:20 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Prime Minister in an interview said that no one is accusing him personally on Rafale. Entire nation is asking a direct question to the PM: Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha
14:18 IST Wednesday, 2 January 2019: Rahul Gandhi initiates discussion on Rafale issue in LS; accuses AIADMK of disrupting proceedings to 'protect' PM
1. Goa minister Vishwajit Rane says audio clip played by Congress 'doctored'
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Goa minister Vishwajit Rane has termed an audio clip, cited by the Congress to attack the Centre on the Rafale issue, as "doctored" and told BJP president Amit Shah Wednesday that he has asked the state government to order an inquiry into the matter.
2. Rahul attacks govt on Rafale deal, cites audio tape
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Initiating a discussion on the Rafale issue, Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that he "does not have guts" to come to Parliament to confront questions on the issue and "hides" in his room. The Congress leader also rejected Modi's claim in an interview that there was no personal allegation against him, saying this is not true as the entire nation is asking him direct question. "He (Modi) spoke for 90 minutes in a staged interview but still did not answer questions on the Rafale issue," Gandhi said. "Is it not true that defence ministry officials objected to the new price of Rs 1600 crore, Gandhi said, accusing Modi of favouring his "dear friend" and "failed businessman" Anil Ambani.
Gandhi then sought permission to play an audio tape purportedly of a Goa minister on the Rafale issue. Jaitley demanded if he can authenticate it, but the Congress leader said he would not do so. "He knows it is wrong and hence is scared to authenticate it," Jaitley said, adding "this man lies repeatedly".
(PTI)
3. Jaitley hits back at Congress, Nehru-Gandhi family
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Jaitley on Wednesday hit back at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of "lying and repeating falsehood" on the Rafale issue and claimed that "conspirators" in past defence scams are now raising fingers at the Narendra Modi government.
Responding to the opposition leader's allegations during a discussion on Rafel issue in Lok Sabha, he said Gandhi has a "natural dislike for truth" and had earlier manufactured his conversation with the French president, which was denied by the French government.
"We are all utterly disappointed because every word he has said has been denied by the Supreme Court. When the Supreme Court speaks on an issue, it is the last word," he said. Targeting the Gandhi family, he said some people and families understand arithmatic of money but cannot comprehend issues of national security.
The finance minister also raised AgustaWestland, National Herald cases and made a veiled reference to Ottavio Quattrocchi to attack Congress leadership.
(PTI)
4. Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant calls for JPC
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Arvind Sawant, MP of NDA ally Shiv Sena, came out swinging against the government, asking why it was afraid of putting the Rafale deal under the JPC scanner.
"What kind of an offset contractor is this, where the company exists only on paper? On the other hand, HAL has everything," Said Sawant during the debate on the Rafale deal in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
"If the government’s hands are clean like it is saying, then where is the need to be afraid of a JPC. Let there be a JPC to look into it, and let it affirm if the government is indeed clean," he dared the government.
