Congress alleges ‘huge scam’ in Rafale deal, accuses Modi govt of compromising ‘National Security’

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RM says the price negotiated for each RAFALE jet by the PM and his “reliable” buddy is a state secret.

Action Points
1.Informing Parliament about the price is a national security threat
2.Brand all who ask, Anti National#TheGreatRafaleMystery

— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) February 6, 2018

Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament, Gandhi asked the media why doesn’t it cover issues regarding the Rafale deal. “For the first time the Defense Ministry said that they won’t disclose the amount paid for buying the Rafale jets. What kind of policy is this? Why doen’t the media ask about this?” he said. Gandhi further asked media to be fair in their reporting. “At least be fair. Talk about Rafale sometimes. I understand you people get scared, hesitate, there is pressure, but show some backbone sometimes at least,” the Congress president said.

Later in the day, senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Randeep Surjewala, Mallikaarjun Kharge and Rajeev Gowda issued a statement accusing the Modi govt of indulging in an unforgivable game of compromising ‘National Interests’ and ‘National Security’.

“A ‘huge Scam’ is brewing in the procurement of fighter aircrafts for Indian Air Force. Grave apprehensions and claims of insurmountable loss being caused to public exchequer are in public domain with the government refusing to state the truth,” the statement said.

“Complete non-transparency in disclosure of purchase price of aircrafts, flagrant violation of the mandatory provisions of ‘Defence Procurement Procedure’ & prior clearance from ‘Cabinet Committee on Security’, sacrificing the 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 Aircrafts’ by Modi government from the ‘Dassault Aviation’ of France,” alleged the Congress statement.

Read Also: Why has Rafale deal gone to pvt entity having zero experience in building jets? Congress poses 8 questions to PM Modi

Sitharaman’s response came to a question by Samajwadi Party member Naresh Agrawal. Agrawal had sought to know why the government was not disclosing details of the multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) deal in which Congress had alleged that the price of the fighter jets being paid by NDA government was higher than what was finalised by the UPA in a previous deal.

“As per Article 10 of the Inter-Governmental Agreement between Governments of India and France on the purchase of Rafale aircraft, the protection of the classified information and material exchanged under IGA is governed by the provisions of the Security Agreement signed between Government of France and Government of India in 2008,” IANS quoted Sitharaman as saying.

India and France signed the inter-government agreement for buying 36 Rafale fighters, off the shelf, on September 23, 2016. (Photo for representation)

In response to a question whether a private sector company was included in the deal, Sitharaman said that neither any public sector undertaking nor private sector industry was included in the agreement. Sitharaman has in past said that the allegations were motivated and baseless, and the price that the Narendra Modi led government had finalised was lesser than the earlier deal.

Following the controversy that erupted lat year, Reliance Defence Limited had issued a statement. Referring to the allegation that the PM promoted its interests, it had said, “the Joint Venture between Reliance Aerostructure Ltd and Dassault Aviation is a bilateral agreement between two private companies. Dassault Aviation selected Reliance Aerostructure Ltd as its joint venture partner. The Indian Government has no role to play in this.”

India and France signed the inter-government agreement for buying 36 Rafale fighters, off the shelf, on September 23, 2016, following long negotiations on the deal. Under the deal during the UPA regime, 126 fighter jets were to be bought, and included a number of fighters being assembled in India.

(With IANS inputs)