New Delhi: The Rafale deal negotiated by the NDA government was cheaper than the UPA offer, the Comptroller and Auditor General has observed. The NDA deal was 2.86 per cent cheaper than the one negotiated by the UPA government, according to a CAG report tabled Wednesday in Parliament.
However, the report does not include the controversial and key point of pricing, as the Defence Ministry has said that these detailes cannot be shared. The parts in the report referring to cost are redacted, which may provoke fresh opposition attacks.
The Congress and other opposition parties, however has dismissed the report as ‘biased’. They have said that the report audited by Rajiv Mehrishi cannot be authentic as he was the Finance Secretary when the deal was struck in 2016. They have stated ‘the bungling was happening at the highest level with his direct or indirect complicity and consent’.
In another development Union Minister Arun Jaitley said Wednesday the lies of the Congress and opposition parties stand exposed by the CAG report on Rafale, which reaffirms the dictum that truth shall prevail.
“It cannot be that the Supreme Court is wrong, the CAG is wrong and only the dynast is right. Satyameva Jayate – the truth shall prevail. The CAG Report on Rafale reaffirms the dictum,” Jaitley said in a series of tweets.
He stated that the CAG report outlines that 2016 deal terms were lower in terms of price, faster in terms of delivery, while ensuring better maintenance and lower escalation.
“The lies of ‘Mahajhootbandhan’ stand exposed by the CAG Report. How does democracy punish those who consistently lied to the nation?,” he questioned in another tweet.
Agencies