Congress trains guns on PM Modi again over Rafale offsets

NEW DELHI: Congress on Tuesday renewed its attack on PM Narendra Modi on the Rafale fighter jet purchase and claimed the government gave “exceptional and unprecedented waivers” to French companies Dassault Aviation and MBDA in offset contracts.

Party spokesperson Pawan Khera claimed the Modi government amended UPA-2’s Defence Procurement Procedure, 2013, to favour Dassault Aviation and told the company it was no longer required to submit offset plans, divulge identities of Indian offset partners (IOP) or share details of their work share, specific products and supporting documents indicating IOP eligibility at the bid stage, as prescribed in the DPP.

Khera also alleged that defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman misled Parliament when she claimed the government had “no role in choosing Rs 30,000 crore deal for offset partner” because she did not say DPP 2013 was amended by the Modi government in August 2015.

Congress also alleged the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by PM Narendra Modi gave “exceptional and unprecedented waivers” to Dassault and MBDA in offset contracts.

A newspaper report on Tuesday claimed that provisions of DPP 2013 relating to arbitration, access to books of accounts and penalties for the use of influence and commission agents were not met. The defence ministry dismissed the claims as “incorrect”. “The offset contract was signed between the government of India and the vendors. DPP provisions pertaining to access to books of accounts, arbitration, use of undue influence and agents/agency commission have been included in the offset contracts. This information is being deliberately concealed from public to sensationalise the issue,” the ministry said.