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Cong questions govt’s silence after French authorities order probe into Rafale deal
The press conference came a day after the French national financial prosecutor announced an investigation into the Rafale deal.
Congress on Sunday questioned the Central government’s silence after French authorities ordered a probe into “corruption and favouritism” into the Rafale deal. Congress alleged that national security is not the government’s priority, unlike previous governments.
Addressing a press conference, Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera said, “Every successive government has always prioritised and taken pride in our National Security Policy. Although the Modi government makes loud song and dance about national security, on the other hand, it does everything under the sun to undermine India’s security interests when it comes to filling the coffers of its corporate friends.”
“Today, after more than 24 hours of the decision by France to investigate corruption”, “influence peddling”, “money laundering”, “favouritism”, there is one question every responsible Indian, every concerned citizen asks - Why is the Government of India still silent?” he added.
Khera sought to know that now that the French Public Prosecution Services (PNF) has initiated a probe into the corruption allegations against the previous president of France, who was one of the parties to the deal, why is there no enquiry on the role of the key functionaries of the Indian government.
“It is downright insulting to the people of India that this government and its ministers have stayed tight-lipped about this entire scandal. Why is the Minister of Defence silent on accountability and scrutiny?” he asked.
He presented certain documents and said the amount decided for the deal by Indian negotiators was massively spiked and also alleged that the corruption clause mysteriously disappeared.
Khera categorically claimed that India and Indians have been on the losing end of the Rafael deal. “This is not a loss to France, it is a loss to India. It is not France that has been cheated or robbed, rather it is every single Indian taxpayer who has been cheated and robbed off. This inter-governmental deal is not funded by the private funds of anyone, it is paid for by public money,” he said.
Stressing on the importance of truth, the Congress spokesperson reiterated the party’s demand for a joint parliamentary committee to investigate the deal.
The press conference came a day after the French national financial prosecutor announced an investigation into the Rafale deal. “A judicial probe into suspected corruption has been opened in France over the 7.8-billion-euro sale to India in 2016 of 36 Dassault-built Rafale fighter aircraft,” Mediapart, a French investigative website, reported.
