New Delhi: After the recent revelations by a French media outlet regarding the Rafale deal which stated that CBI was aware that Dassault paid kickbacks to a middleman in India, the Congress party hit out at the Center by calling it an "Operation Cover-up" to bury corruption.
While addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "The Operation Cover-up by Modi Government to bury the melting pot of corruption, kickbacks and collision in Rafael deal is once again exposed. The BJP Government sacrificed national security, jeopardized the interests of Indian Air Force and caused loss worth thousands of crores to our exchequer."
"Each revelation in the murky Rafale affair for the last 5 years, every single allegation and each piece of the puzzle leads right up to the highest echelons of power in the Modi Government. The latest revelations in Operation Cover-up reveal the dubious nexus between Modi Government-CBI-ED to bury the Rafael corruption," he further alleged.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera speaks about Operation Cover-up of Rafael deal In the fresh-made claims of a French investigative journal, it has been stated that Dassault Aviation paid the kickbacks to the intermediary in Mauritius between 2007 and 2012. It has also been reported that a French judge has been appointed to lead a "highly sensitive" judicial investigation into "suspected corruption" and favouritism in the Rs 5900 crore inter-governmental deal with India for the supply of 36 Rafale fighter jets.
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"Isn't it correct that ED has recovered the "Secret Defence Ministry Documents" from the middlemen in the raid on March 26, 2019, including the 'benchmark price document' dated August 10, 2015, the 'Record of Discussions' by the INT of Defence Ministry, the 'Excel sheet of calculations made by Defence Ministry, GoI and Eurofighter's counteroffer of 20% discount to GoI," Khera asked.
He further asked, "This is nothing short of endangering National Security, sedition and a gross violation of Official's Secrets Act. Why didn't the ED pursue these evidences further to investigate the scam? Which 'Chowkidar' sold India's National secrets?" Mentioning that the Pak-China axis on India's borders is a threat to national security, the Congress leader asked PM Modi, "Why did he reduce the number of Rafale aircraft unilaterally and without consulting the Indian Air Force from 126 to 36? Why did he deny Transfer of Technology to India and manufacture of Rafael by HAL?"
