 said on Friday.){kind=link}
Congress on Saturday ignited the demands of an independent probe into the controversial Rafale deal after the France has opened up the criminal investigation into the scam citing money laundering corruption, influence peddling and undue favours.
The Congress demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Rafale deal, saying it is the only way forward to find the truth about corruption in the purchase of the fighter jets. The party also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come forward and order the investigation.
Randeep Surjewala, the Congress’s chief spokesperson said since the matter deals with national security and identity, a fair and independent JPC probe is the only way out and not the Supreme Court. He said this issue is not about Congress versus BJP, but this is an issue that concerns the security of the country and corruption in the defence deal.
The demand came after French investigative website Mediapart reported that a French judge has been appointed to lead a highly sensitive judicial investigation into alleged corruption and favouritism in the Rs 59,000-crore Rafale fighter jet deal with India.
After series of investigative reports, the probe has been ordered to investigate the role of a middleman whose disclosures India’s Enforcement Directorate is reportedly aware of but has not bothered to investigate so far. Following the exposé, the French anti-corruption NGO Sherpa filed a complaint with the tribunal of Paris, citing corruption, influence peddling, money laundering, favouritism and undue tax waivers surrounding the deal.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and just write Chor ki daadhi me tinka in Hindi with a hashtag #RafaleScam. The Wayanad MP has been very vocal in criticizing the government on Covid crisis, economic devastation, China’s inclusion in union territory and Centre’s vaccination strategy.
India had ordered 36 Rafale jets in September 2016 as an emergency purchase through a government-to-government deal. The deal became controversial when the Congress has claimed the price at which India was buying Rafale aircraft now is Rs 1,670 crore for each, three times the initial bid of Rs 526 crore by the company when the UPA government was trying to buy the aircraft. It has also claimed the previous deal included a technology transfer agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
However, there was no immediate response from the Central government.
In other India News, Pushkar Singh Dhami has been picked as new Uttarakhand Chief Minister replacing Tirath Singh Rawat on Friday. It was the 3rd Uttarakhand CM in the last 4 months.