Parrikar’s silence on Rafale deal flayed

Congress accuses former defence minister of going into hiding over the alleged scam

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The Congress yesterday accused Goa Chief Minister and former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar of being silent on the controversial Rafale deal, saying he was aware of the violation of several norms linked to the purchase of the French military aircraft.

All India Congress Committee spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi while speaking to the media at the party headquarters here questioned that how did Parrikar, despite being the then defence minister “did not know that a deal had been negotiated, signed and agreed upon?”

“A defence minister who knew about bypassing of the cabinet committee on security (CCS) norms, transfer of technology and not following of defence procurement procedure, continues to maintain his silence and chooses not to answer,” Chaturvedi said.

“So his silence is a conspiracy in an agreement that has betrayed this nation.”

Chaturvedi also slammed Parrikar for his alleged flipflop on the Rafale deal, accusing him of going into hiding over the alleged scam.

“Here is a Defence Minister, who just days before the deal was signed, had gone on record to say that some terms of the agreement were non-negotiable. But you were aware that those were the very clauses that were negotiated in France,” she added.

“And the nation saw how Parrikar continued to hide, instead of giving answers on the deal. It is a known fact that he himself was not prepared for it and was caught off guard.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had signed the Rafale deal in September 2016 while Parrikar served as the defence minister, to purchase fighter jets from France.

Priyanka Chaturvedi | All India Congress Committee spokesperson

PTI People celebrate the stone-pelting Bagwal festival at Devidhura village in Champawat district of Uttarakhand on Sunday. This fair is held in the compound of the Varahi Devi temple at Devidhura on the day of Raksha Bandhan. Devidhura is situated at a trijunction of Almora, Pithoragarh and Nainital districts and the fair is well known for its enchanting folk songs and dances as also for its Bagwal. During the Bagwal the two groups (khams) of people throw stones at each other while they try to protect themselves by using big roof-like shields. Even watching the Bagwal is a truly thrilling experience. The Devidhura fair has maintained its old vigour.