New Delhi: Fresh political battle broke out on Rafale’s agreement on Saturday, following a report in French media that judicial investigations were launched through allegations flattened by anti-corruption NGOs.
Congress demanded a shared parliamentary committee probe, while BJP said the leader of the Rahul Gandhi Congress was used as a “pawn” by competing defense companies.
“Corruption in the Rafale agreement has come out clearly now.
Congress Stand and Rahul Gandhi have been justified today after the French government ordered an investigation,” said AICC spokesman Randeep Surjewala, who referred to the investigation report ordered by the French public prosecution body into the RS agreement 59,000 crore.
BJP spokesman Sambit Patra quoted the scores of SC and the Comptroller report and the General Auditor, who did not find errors in the defense agreement between the Indian and French governments, to reject the allegations of Congress.
An intermediary report in an agreement is about individuals named and investigated for the UPA-ERA defense contract.
According to French media reports, the judicial investigation was ordered by the State National Financial Prosecutor’s Office, following the claim of the Mediapart investigation site in April a mistake in agreement and complaints submitted by the French Sherpa NGO who specialized in financial crimes.
“The very sensitive probe into the intergovernmental agreement signed in 2016 was officially opened on June 14,” Mediapart said.
Mediapart Journalist Yann Philippin, who filed a series of reports on the agreement, said the first complaint “buried” in 2019 by the former PNF head.
In April, Mediapart, quoted an investigation by the country’s anti-corruption agent, reported that Dassault Aviation had paid about one million euros to Indian intermediaries.
Dassault Aviation has refused allegations of corruption, saying no violations reported in the contract framework.
Surjewala attacked the government, said, “When the French government has accepted that there is corruption in an agreement, should JPC investigations not be held in the country where corruption occurs?” He added that demand should not be seen through partisan political lenses, but is seen as attention to national security.
“Will the Prime Minister, like France, now answers the nation and say when will he give up his administration to the JPC probe to Rafale Scam?” Secretary General AICC Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Tweeted: “Three things cannot be hidden for long: the sun, moon, and truth, said the Lord Buddha.” Patra fought Congress, said that “the way Rahul Gandhi behaves, it will not be excessive to say that he is being used as a pawn by competing companies.
He has lied since the beginning of this issue.
Maybe, he acts as an agent or some members of the Gandhi family Has been done for competing companies.
“Patra said Rahul had to submit an unconditional apology at the Supreme Court for claiming that the observation of the court was justification of his accusation.
“There is a non-disclosure clause about the price of the agreement …
However, the details have been given to the Supreme Court and CAG, which gave Chit Chit and said there was no error in the process, procedure and acquisition of the Rafale Fighter aircraft,” he said.
Congress accused the government of massive irregularities in the agreement, accused him of the procurement of each plane at a cost of more than RS 1,670 Crore, against RS 526 Crore resolved by the government upa during negotiations for MMRCA (intermediate multi-role fighter aircraft).
Before the Sabha’s selection in 2019, Congress raises several questions about the agreement and alleged corruption but the government rejects all charges.