‘Modi overruled Parrikar, raised benchmark price’
NEW DELHI: As the poll dates for assembly elections in five states are coming closer, the Congress is coming out with fresh revelations in the Rafale deal to attack the government which is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Continuing its attack on government, the grand old party on Thursday levelled serious allegations against the Prime Minister in the multicrore fighter aircraft deal by saying that Modi compromised national security and bypassed established procedures and laws.
Reiterating the demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the deal, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala stressed that the outcome of the Rafale petitions in the Supreme Court would not impact its own demand for an investigation into the contract.
“The Supreme Court has constitutional limitations on the matter and cannot look at file notings which reveal the truth of the Rafale. The court is not an enquiry office. The facts will emerge when the JPC
summons files of the meetings of Cabinet Committee on Security, Defence Acquisition Council and the price negotiations committee,” Surjewala demanded.
Citing the revelations made by retired Defence Ministry official Sudhanshu Mohanty, Surjewala blamed the PM for increasing the benchmark price of 36 Rafale jets from Euro 3 billion (Rs 22,743 crore), to Euro 8.2 billion (Rs 62,166 crore) by overruled the then defence minister Manohar Parrikar
and the defence acquisition council. The prices were increased to favour some of his crony capitalist friends, the Congress leader said.
Surjewala also said that the PM ignored the file advice of the Law Ministry and the air acquisition wing of the Air Force to insist on a sovereign bank guarantee from France for the deal signed in April 2015.
The Congress further alleged that the PM changed the terms of the arbitration clause under the Rafale deal by saying that the arbitration will happen between the Indian government and Rafale maker Dassault Aviation. The government also changed the venue of arbitration from India to Switzerland.
“Even on arbitration, the PM overlooked the suggestions of the Law Ministry and defence experts who said the partners in arbitration should be the governments of India and France rather than the government of India and a private supplier,” he said.