Didn’t give clean chit to PM on Rafale: Sharad Pawar

Pawar said there is need for an investigation into the deal, as the cost of fighter jets has increased many times, but insisted he doesn’t want to make allegations against anyone without any evidence.

Three days after his remark that “there are no doubts over the Prime Minister’s intention in the Rafale fighter jet procurement deal” led to a controversy, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said he never gave “clean chit” to Narendra Modi.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar with other party leaders at their Vijay Sankalp rally at Beed in Marathwada on Monday. (PTI)

Pawar said there is need for an investigation into the deal, as the cost of fighter jets has increased many times, but insisted he doesn’t want to make allegations against anyone without any evidence.

“I have not supported the Central government on Rafale deal. The cost of fighter jets has increased. A jet costing ₹650 crore was bought for ₹1,600 crore and the government must give clarification in Parliament,” Pawar said, at a rally in Beed district in Marathwada.

“I will not make personal allegations against anyone unless I have proper evidence. We don’t have a problem if the government doesn’t want to share technical details, but they can reveal the cost of the aircraft,” he said.

“The government is reluctant to share details and hence has to face allegations. The Prime Minister should accept the demand to appoint a joint parliamentary committee to conduct a probe,” said the former defence minister.

In an interview given to a Marathi news channel, Pawar on Wednesday said, “People do not doubt Modi’s intentions…Initially, (defence minister) Nirmala Sitharaman was briefing, now she has been replaced by Arun Jaitley…It appeared crucial information on the deal was being suppressed. Doubts were raised over the manner in which information was presented.”

In damage-control mode, the party had clarified that NCP chief had not given a clean chit to PM Modi and they support the demand for a JPC probe.

The NCP got a jolt when senior party leader and former Member of Parliament (MP) Tariq Anwar resigned from the party, in protest against the statement.

“Currently, a campaign is going on against the Rafale deal and all Opposition parties have come together demanding investigation. At that time, such a statement damages the entire campaign…It has left me with no choice but to take this step. I believe that the party is taking wrong line,” Anwar had
said.

Pawar is known for his cordial relations with BJP top brass, including Modi.

Pawar shocked the political spectrum by extending unsolicited support to the BJP to stabilise its government in the state, after they failed to get a majority in the Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2014.