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Rahul Gandhi addresses the media on Rafale deal issue, in New Delhi, Saturday, Sep 22, 2018. (PTI Photo)[/caption]
New Delhi, Sep. 23 (PTI): Congress president Rahul Gandhi Sunday hit back at Arun Jaitley on the Rafale issue, saying it is time the finance minister and the prime minister “stop lying” and call for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe for an “uncorrupted truth” to come out.
He accused Jaitley of having the ability to spin “2 truths or lies” with “fake self-righteousness” and “indignation to defend the indefensible”.
“Mr Jetlie’s speciality is his ability to spin ‘2 truths’, or lies, with fake self righteousness and indignation to defend the indefensible. It’s high time he, the RM and our PM stop lying and call a JPC to establish the full, uncorrupted truth about the Rafale Scam (sic),” Gandhi tweeted.
He also tagged a media report highlighting how former French president Francois Hollande’s charges have hit the Modi government on the Rafale issue.
The Rafale controversy took a turn last week after former French president Hollande claimed that the Indian government proposed Reliance Defence’s name as the offset partner for Dassault Aviation.
In response, the French government said it was in no manner involved in the choice of Indian industrial partners for the Rafale deal, asserting that French firms have the full freedom to select Indian companies for the contract.
Jaitley earlier defended the prime minister on the Rafale issue, saying the French government and Dassault Aviation have categorically denied the correctness of the former president’s first statement.
He said the French government has stated that the decision with regard to the offset contracts of Dassault Aviation are taken by the company and not the government.
“This puts to rest the controversy which is sought to be created on the basis of a statement made by the former French president Hollande,” he said.
The Reliance group has rejected charges against it made by the Congress and said the government was in no way involved in securing its offset contract with Dassault Aviation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the procurement of 36 Rafale fighters after holding talks with then French president Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris.
Rafale deal is the ‘’largest defence scam’’ in India — Prashant Bhushan
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Prashant Bhushan[/caption]
Chennai, Sep. 23 (PTI): Senior Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan Sunday said the Rafale deal was the “largest defence scam in India” and urged the Centre to initiate a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the matter.
Addressing reporters here, he questioned how Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence, the Indian offset partner of French firm Dassault Aviation, could be involved in the project as “most of his companies are in debt.”
“This is not only the largest defence scam in India, but is one where national security has been severely compromised. While the IAF wanted 126 flights, it was reduced to 36,” Bhushan said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with then French president Francois Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris.
Opposition Congress has accused the government of choosing Reliance Defence over state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to benefit the private firm though it did not have any experience in the aerospace sector.
Lashing out at Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Bhushan charged the Centre with making IAF officials “lie” about the deal.
“You have severely compromised national security, broke the IAF’s back, looted people’s money and defamed a public sector unit (HAL),” he said.
“The government should immediately agree for a JPC probe and put all the papers before it. There is no (element) of national security (as being claimed by the government). They only want to hide the huge scam in defence purchase,” he said.
He further suggested that Ambani’s company could not have entered the deal without the defence minister’s approval.
Hollande’s reported comments that New Delhi had proposed Reliance Defence as the Indian partner for the contract has escalated into a major political row, even as the French government said it had no say in the choice of the Indian industrial partner for the multi-billion dollar deal.
However, Dassault Aviation refuted Hollande’s claims and said that it was their decision to partner with Reliance.
