New Delhi: The political row over the Rafale jet deal escalated Tuesday with the Congress dismissing as ‘manufactured lies’ the claims by the Dassault CEO there was no wrong-doing and its chief Rahul Gandhi firing a fresh salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The nation needs a “fair investigation” and not “doctored explanations” on the fighter jet deal, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.
He was responding to Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier’s defence of the contract in a media interview. Trappier has claimed no wrong-doing in the Rs 58,000 crore deal asserting it was a “clean deal”.
Trappier also claimed that his company had chosen Reliance as an offset partner.
” ‘Dictated Interviews’ and ‘manufactured lies’ cannot suppress the Rafale Scam. First rule of Law – Mutual Beneficiaries and Co-accused’s statements hold no value. Second Rule:-Beneficiaries and accused can’t be Judge in their own case. Truth has a way of coming out,” Surjewala said on Twitter.
“Fixed match between BJP Government and Dassault and PR Stunts of PM Modi and Eric Trappier can’t hide the blatant corruption,” he alleged.
French aerospace major Dassault Aviation has partnered with Reliance Defence Ltd for delivering 36 Rafale fighter jets to the Indian Air Force(IAF).
The Centre Monday informed the Supreme Court that the Defence Procurement Procedure(DPP) as laid out by the UPA in 2013 was “completely followed” in the procurement of the 36 jets from France and the deal was subsequently approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security(CCS).
Mounting a fresh offensive against the prime minister, Rahul Gandhi tagged a media report alleging that the government in its affidavit before the apex court has thrown up more ‘wrong-doings’ by Modi in the Rafale deal.
The media report claimed that the affidavit has made it clear that the government did not take the most basic steps that are fundamental to any procurement and which are spelt out in detail in the DPP-2013 which governs the purchase.
The government failed to involve the IAF in formulating “service qualitative requirements”(SQRs) which specify the capabilities of the equipment being procured.
Gandhi in his latest tweet alleged that Modi has admitted to “theft” in the Rafale deal before the Supreme Court and changes in the contract without asking the IAF.
There was no reaction from the government or the BJP on the fresh charges, though they have previously rejected all allegations over the Rafale deal.
“Modi ji has admitted to his theft in the Supreme Court. In the affidavit, he admitted to changes in the contract without asking the Air Force and put Rs 30,000 crore in Ambani’s pocket.
“The picture is still to come my friend,” Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.
Gandhi raised the controversy over the Rafale deal again at a poll rally in Chattisgarh.
Modi went to France with Anil Ambani, snatched Rafale contract from the HAL and gave it to him, Gandhi said in Raipur.
The prime minister snatched Rs 30,000 cr from the poor, put it in Anil Ambani’s pocket, Gandhi said, adding, “Modi works for very rich and not poor”.
The Reliance in previous statements has said that the Indian government, French government, Dassault and Reliance have clarified on multiple occasions there is no offset contract for Rs 30,000 crore to Reliance as alleged by Congress.
PTI