The Congress leader said that fresh facts have emerged after a news report revealed that the government's decision to buy only 36 Rafale aircraft shot up its price by as much as 41 per cent.
Launching another attack on the Narendra Modi government over Rafale jet deal, former finance minister P Chidambaram on Friday said that while the NDA government compromised on national security, Dassault "laughed all the way to the bank".
The Congress leader said that fresh facts have emerged after a news report revealed that the government's decision to buy only 36 Rafale aircraft shot up its price by as much as 41 per cent. He added that the price that the current government paid to Dassault is 25 million euros more per aircraft than the deal finalised by the then UPA government, boiling it down to an added expenditure of Rs 186 crore more per aircraft.
"Relying on new facts, this is my calculation. It seems Dassault is laughing all the way to the bank. The government has wronged the country in two ways. First, it has compromised national security by denying the Air Force the 90 aircraft they desperately need. Second, it has purchased two squadrons that will cost 25 million euros more per aircraft. At the 2016 exchange rate, 25 million euros is equal to Rs 186 crore more per aircraft," he said.
He further reiterated the party's demand for a joint parliamentary committee. "There is no doubt any longer that Rafale aircraft deal deserves to be examined thoroughly by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). The Congress reiterates its demand for constitution of a JPC," Chidambaram said.
He said that the question of why the number of jets were reduced remains unanswered. "Why did the government reject the Air Force's demand for 126 fighter aircraft (7 squadrons) and decide to buy only 36 aircraft (2 squadrons)?
That question has never been answered by the Prime Minister or the Defence Minister or the Finance Minister or the Law Minister. Let it be noted that the Supreme Court expressly declined to go into that question," he said.
‘Dassault laughed’
P Chidambaram said while NDA government compromised with national security, Rafale jet makers — Dassault Aviation — laughed all the way to bank as the revised price was Rs 186 crore more per aircraft.
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