Yechury blasts Modi govt for claiming 'clean chit' in Rafale case after SC order

New Delhi, Apr 10: Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime is "the most corrupt" government and launched a scathing attack for claiming "clean chit" in Rafale case.

His reaction came after the Supreme Court rejected the preliminary objection raised by the Centre against the review pleas in the Rafale case. The court said that it would now go ahead with the hearing of the review petitions in the light of the new documents cited by the petitioners, who alleged wrong doing in the Rafale deal.

"Modi and his minions have falsely claimed that they have a "clean chit" in the Rafale scam. But the proofs have come tumbling out one after another. It has been the most corrupt and most compromised govt in India's history. Now is the time to throw it out," Yechury tweeted.

"Modi and his govt have compromised national security for corruption and cronyism in an important defence deal. They tried to evade accountability, denied a JPC, hid price from CAG, tried to first mislead, then stall any hearing in Supreme Court. Important that culprits are booked," he said in another tweet.

The petitioners in the case had moved the Supreme Court seeking a review of its original verdict dated December 14 2018 in which it had given the deal a clean chit.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Ram Madhav said the Supreme Court's order should not be seen as a setback.

"It is not a setback, the government will be transparent and will come out clean," he reportedly said.

The court would now hear the review plea questioning the pricing of the Rafale jets.

In the original verdict, the SC had said that it found no irregularities in the government's decision making process to procure the 36 Rafale jets from Dassault under the Indo-French intergovernmental agreement.

The petitioners then sought a review of the verdict. The matter was heard at length in open court, following which the order was reserved.