Congress raises Rafale Deal again, asks answers from PM Narendra Modi

Speaking to the media on the Rafale Deal, Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad, Randeep Singh Surjewala and Jitendra Singh, and Ex-MoS accused the Modi Government of "compromising National interest and National Security."

"Shoddy 'cover-up', 'self-defeating assertions' and 'deliberate lies' are being dished out to 'divert', 'dupe' and 'deceive'," they added.

Claiming that the Modi Government's tactics on 'Rafale Deal' have left more questions and answers.

They demanded the PM Modi to answer the following questions to people of India:-

1. Why are Prime Minister and Defence Minister hiding the 'purchase price'? Is it correct that per aircraft pricing of Rafale as per bid dated 12.12.2012 during UPA-Congress government comes to Rs.526.1 crore as against Modi government's per aircraft purchase price of Rs.1,670.70 crore?

2. Dassault Aviation's Annual Report (A-1) discloses the price of 48 aircrafts (24 each) sold to Egypt and Qatar in the year 2015 as Euro 7.9 billion i.e. Rs.1,319.80 crore per aircraft and of 36 Rafale aircrafts sold to India in the year 2016 as Euro 7.5 billion i.e. 1,670.70 crore per aircraft? Why did India pay Rs.350.90 crore per aircraft more i.e. a total of Rs.12,632 crore for 36 aircrafts?

3. What is the purpose, object, and sanctity of IGA with France, once the assurance of India getting the lowest price of Rafale aircrafts in comparison to every other buyer is violated?

4. Why did the PM violate the Mandatory 'Defence Procurement Procedure' (DPP) on April 10, 2015 while announcing off the shelf purchase of 36 Rafale aircrafts? Why were the requirements of DPP i.e. Price Discovery through 'Contract Negotiation Committee' (CNC) and 'Price Negotiation Committee' (PNC) not followed?

5. Why did the PM not take the mandatory prior approval of 'Cabinet Committee on Security' before announcing purchase of 36 Rafale aircrafts on April 10, 2015?

6. On April 8, 2015; Foreign Secretary denied any proposal regarding purchase of Rafale aircrafts during PM Modi's visit to France two days later. What transpired in 48 hours between April 8 to April 10, 2015 whereby Prime Minister decided to announce purchase of 36 Rafale aircrafts?

7. Why was the PSU, HAL by-passed for getting Rs.30,000 crore worth 'offset contract' despite the work share agreement with Dassault Aviation dated 13.03.2014? Why was HAL superseded in favour of a private company who had zero experience of manufacturing fighter aircrafts? Why did PM promote the interests of a private company over a PSU?

8. Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon were both found equals on all technical requirements by Indian Air Force. Is it not correct that on July 4, 2014; Eurofighter Typhoon wrote to the then Defence Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley offering to reduce prices by 20%? Once PM Modi had decided to purchase the aircrafts afresh, should both companies i.e. Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon not have been asked to bid afresh through IGA route so as to arrive at the lowest price in favour of public exchequer? Why did the PM violate this?

9. On November 17, 2017; Defence Minister stated that 36 Rafale aircrafts were purchased on 'emergency basis'. Why is it that despite the 'emergency purchase' and lapse of 35 months, not a single aircraft has been delivered?

OneIndia News