Senior Congress Leader Ajay Maken today termed the Rafale deal as the biggest defence scam in the history of India, which, he said, is clear case of corruption. Addressing a press conference on the verdict of Supreme Court (SC) on Rafale deal, Maken said, “The Modi government has lied before the SC and it has violated the privilege. In the leadership of Rahul Gandhi the Congress Party has exposed the lie of Modi Government. Rafale scam is detriment to government exchequer, compromise with national interest, debilitation of the defence of the country, ignoring of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and to facilitate its capitalist friends.”
The Senior Congress leader asked 11 questions on Rafale jet deal to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought his answers on the same. He said, “As the Supreme Court held verdict on the report of CAG but the CAG had not put its report in Parliament and also it had not placed it before Public Account Committee (PAC). Why such kind of big fraud has been done with the SC.”
While quoting the agreement between Reliance and Dassault Aviation Maken said, the Apex Court decision is based on the fact that Reliance had agreement with the Dassault since 2012. On the other hand, Reliance Defence Limited was born on March, 2015.”
He leveled allegation that the SC decision is based on the fact that former French President Francois Hollande said that Modi government had supported Reliance and Hollande repeated it whereas the incumbent President of France, Emmanuel Macron clearly said that he cannot reject Hollande’s statement.”
The Senior Congress leader said that the government had submitted in the Apex Court that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has nothing to do with the Rafale deal. However, he said that HAL and Dassault had entered into an agreement in March 2014 which was certified by both Dassault CEO and Foreign Secretary.
In another question related to the objection raised by the Law Ministry that the government was absent from the court and its sixth Defence Acquisition Committee (DAC) has given assent to purchase jets after that the government decided to buy 36 air fighter planes is breach of procedure .
Maken said that it is big compromise with the security of nation as the government has decided to buy 36 jets in place of 126 jets and the Centre has not clarified before the apex court on the issue that why it has decreased the numbers.
The recent Supreme Court verdict may have found no irregularities in the decision-making process of the Rafale deal but it has raised many questions on the information which was submitted by the Central government before the apex court on the basis of which the verdict has been given, he said.