New Delhi: Senior Congress leader A K Antony Tuesday accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of suppressing facts on the Rafale deal and asked why the government was shying away from setting up a joint parliamentary committee to probe it.
He also accused the government of being “guilty” of “gravely compromising” national security in the Rafale fighter jet deal.
Addressing a press conference, Antony rejected as “completely false” the charges of Sitharaman that an unprecedented intervention by him in 2013 put the “final nail in the coffin” when the cost negotiation committee was giving final touches to the deal.
The former defence minister accused Sitharaman of trying to tarnish the image of public-sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) both nationally and internationally.
He also asked if the price of the Rafale fighter jets were cheaper than that negotiated by the UPA and why it did not buy 126 aircraft instead of 36 from the French manufacturer.
“The Congress party demands that the Modi government publish the price of the Congress-UPA’s deal of 126 aircrafts and the price of its 36 Rafale deals, including per aircraft price of the same to clear the doubts of the people of India, let the Nation decide who is correct.
“Since, there is a growing perception that the Modi government’s Rafale purchase deal has more skeletons in its closet, let there be Joint Parliamentary Probe (JPC) to bring the truth out in the open,” he told reporters.
Antony also raised several important questions pertaining to the ‘Rafale scam’.
Q.1 Who authorized Shri Narendra Modi to fix the number of fighter aircrafts from 126 to 36?
Q.2 As per the Defence Procurement Procedures (DPP) – Defence Acquisition Council presided by the Defence Minister, consisting of Army Chief, Air Force Chief, Navy Chief, Defence Secretary, Secretary of Defence Finance, DRDO Chief, Coast Guard Chief & Secretary of Defence Production are the ONLY authorized body to decide the number and clear the tender. Isn’t Shri Modi’s decision a clear cut violation of the DPP?
Q.3 After signing the purchase agreement of 36 Rafale aircrafts in April 2015, Modi Govt cancelled the 126 Rafale aircrafts contract only on 24 June 2015. Isn’t this again, a violation of the DPP?
Q.4 Instead of getting a cheaper price per aircraft, Modi Govt is purchasing 36 aircrafts for ₹60,145 Cr, as revealed by the Annual Report of Dassault Aviation & Reliance Press Release i.e ₹ 1670.70 Cr per aircraft; while during UPA-Congress Govt, per aircraft prices comes to ₹526.10 Cr i.e. ₹18,940 Cr for 36 aircrafts. Even without ‘Transfer of Technology’ why is the Modi Govt paying ₹41,205 Cr more for the deal?
Q.5 Let us assume for a moment that all the claims of NDA’s deal cheaper than UPA’s deal is true, then why didn’t PM, Shri Modi purchase ONLY 36 Rafale aircrafts, instead of 126 jets?
Q.6 This claim by Defence Minister, Sitharaman is completely false. HAL is our Navratna Company. HAL attained the status of Navratna in 2007. It has a standing of 75 years and is the only Aerospace Manufacturing Company that can indigenously manufacture fighter aircrafts in India. If HAL does not have the required capability, please let us know which company in India has the capability to manufacture fighter aircrafts?
Also Read: Rahul Gandhi Attacks PM Modi On Rafale Scam, Says ‘Choukidar Chori Kar Gaya’