New Delhi: The Congress party, on Friday, hit out at the Central Government alleging corruption of more than Rs 21,000 crore in the Rafale deal. While addressing a press conference, Congress' Chief Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "Explosive revelations in the Rafale scam have now cemented the massive corruption, treason and loss to the public exchequer of at least €2.81 billion (₹21,075 crores) and criminal breach of National Security by the Modi government. The scandalous expose of facts and a string of documents have uncovered concerted collusion to defraud the public exchequer as also massive corruption."
Also read: Public streets should not be blocked: SC on plea over Noida- Delhi route blockage
Earlier, a French journal had reported about an investigation conducted by the 'French Anti-corruption Agency -AFA', in which it was revealed that after the Rafale deal was inked in 2016, Dassault had paid €1.1 million to a middleman, Defsys Solutions. The Congress claimed that the 'Indian Negotiating Team' on August 10, 2015, arrived at a benchmark cost of €5.06 billion for 36 Rafale fighter jets but Dassault Aviation had demanded €7.87 billion for these aircraft.
Firstly, the Indian team rejected this proposal but later on September 23, 2016, the Modi government awarded a contract to Dassault at the same price. "What is the reason for the additional payment of € 2.81 billion which has caused a loss to the public exchequer? Isn't it more than prima facie evidence for an investigation into the Rafale scam," Surjewala asked.
Also read: India and China hold 11th round of military talks; focus on further disengagement in eastern Ladakh
Mentioning that the Enforcement Directorate had recovered the 'Secret Defence Ministry Documents' from the raid conducted on a middleman, the Congress asked the Modi government why no action was being taken against Dassault, the political executive or the Defence Ministry officers who leaked these documents. He further alleged that the 'Anti-Corruption clause', which states that no bribery, no gift, no influence, no commission or no middleman can be added in a defence procurement deal, were deleted by French Government or Dassault.
"Were the 'Anti-Corruption clauses' deleted to escape responsibility from bribery and commission to be paid in the Rafale deal? Why was the deletion of these clauses approved by Prime Minister and Central Government despite Defence Minister's insistence upon including it in the Inter-governmental Agreement in July 2015," asked Surjewala.
Also read: Italian marine Case: SC orders Centre to transfer the money awarded by Italy
He further added, "How can a private individual and middlemen be so powerful as to influence the decision of the Modi government in India's biggest defence deal? Does it not require a thorough independent investigation?" Meanwhile, Dassault Aviation rejected these allegations on Thursday, saying that no violation was reported and the company complies strictly with the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) Anti-Bribery Convention and national laws.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the matter on Twitter, saying, "Dear students, PM said to answer questions without fear and nervousness. Please ask him to do the same: Who took money in the Rafale corruption scandal? Who deleted the anti-corruption clauses in the contract? Who gave middlemen access to key Defence Ministry documents?"
