Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 3

The Congress on Saturday claimed vindication of its stand that the April 10, 2015, inter-governmental deal between India and France for off the shelf purchase of 36 Rafale jets was “shady” and demanded a joint parliamentary committee probe to reveal the truth.

Congress media head Randeep Surjewala addressed the press on Saturday to cite the decision of the French prosecution agency to probe the Rafale deal for “prima facie corruption” and said, “If the French prosecutors can investigate the deal along with the role of former French President Francois Hollande and incumbent French president Emmanuel Macron, why should we in India, where the deal originated, not have a JPC probe?”

Asked whether the Congress would move the courts with its demand, Surjewala said the Supreme Court while previously hearing the Rafale matter had said “it had no jurisdiction to question the PM, the defence minister or the defence ministry officials in the matter.”

“That’s the reason the Congress never went to the SC with this case that involves national security, exchequer money and defence procurement propriety. We have always sought a JPC probe because the JPC can summon all the documents related to the deal, can also question the PM with powers of a civil court,” said Surjewala.

To a question on the SC having given a clean chit to the deal and whether the Congress should have waited a while before the French prosecutors delved deeper into the matter, Surjewala reiterated that the apex court had cited lack of jurisdiction in the matter and that with the French prosecutors already  probing the deal it was “imperative for the PM to constitute a JPC.”

Claiming that the stand of former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had been vindicated, Surjewala said the decision of the French prosecution agency to investigate the deal had “unmasked the role of the NDA government and its sweetheart deals here.”

“The developments expose the role of the government. Anil Ambani’s Reliance is also under question now. We all know the French government had said it had no role in choosing Reliance, the Indian partner of Dassault,” alleged Surjewala.

The Congress questioned the role of Dassault Reliance Aerospace in which Reliance had 51 per cent and Dassault had 49 per cent stake and yet of the

169 mn euros investment cap, Dassault brought in 159 mn euro and Reliance 10 mn euro.

Surjewala recalled the March 25, 2015 statement of Dassault chief executive officer Eric Trappier who had said that Dassault and HAL agreement (for technology transfer) was on track.

“A day later we hear Dassault had entered into an agreement with Reliance and on April 10, 2015 PM Modi goes to France and signs the deal for off the shelf purchase of 36 Rafales for 7.8 billion dollar, much higher than what the Congress led UPA had negotiated along with technology transfer to HAL,” said Surjewala.

The Congress further questioned the September 2016 government decision to drop the anti-corruption clause of the defence procurement policy wondering why the clause was compromised despite the defence ministry officials stressing its importance.

“There are serious question marks on the deal. A JPC is in order,” the Congress said.