To Rahul Gandhi’s jab at PM Modi over Rafale, Arun Jaitley’s counter punch

Congress president Rahul Gandhi opened the debate on Rafale deal in the Lok Sabha with a sharp attack on the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stressing that the “fundamental questions” about the deal to purchase 36 fighter jets in 2016 were based on three pillars, “process, pricing and paisa or patronage”.

Hours before the debate was to start under a rule does not provide for voting, the Congress had upped the ante and released what it called, was a conversation of an unnamed individual with Goa Minister Vishwajit Rane. In this, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, the minister is heard claiming that Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told his cabinet colleagues that he had a file on Rafale “lying in his bedroom”. Rane later told reporters that the tape is doctored and was a “desperate attempt” by the Congress.

Rahul Gandhi sought permission to play this tape but did not agree to authenticate it, a requirement when a document is presented in parliament. In the pandemonium that followed, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan briefly adjourned the house.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi raised three questions pertaining to Rafale deal. He said, “Why was the demand for 126 aircarfts changed to 36? Who changed the requirement from 126 jets to 36?”

“Why did the price go from ₹526 crore to ₹1600 core?... Why did you give this contract to Anil Ambani that cost the exchequer ₹13,000 crore?” he asked.

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Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who had earlier interjected during Rahul Gandhi’s speech, objecting to playing of a recorded tape in the House, said “every word he uttered was false”.

“There is natural dislike for untruth,” Jaitley said of the allegations levelled by Rahul Gandhi over Rafale deal. “The manner in which he takes liberty of truth is unprecedented... Today he tried to produce a tape or document that rule does not permit. He refused to authenticate it as he knows that his party manufactured it,” he said

The finance minister also rejected the allegation that under the new Rafale deal, the cost of each unit of fighter jet increased to ₹1,600 crore.

“The Congress party, which was headed by great legends is today headed by a gentleman who does not have the basic understanding of what a combat aircraft is and the reason behind 500 versus 1600 is that some families in the country understand the arithmetic of money but are not concerned the security of the country,” Jaitley said.

Before agreeing to debate on Rafale deal, the Congress had all along refused to engage in a discussion in Parliament, demanding instead, that the government commit to a probe into the Rafale deal by a joint parliamentary committee, or JPC. But on Friday, the Congress shifted its stance and agreed to the debate after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley taunted them in Lok Sabha for “running away” from discussion.

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The Rafale debate comes up in Parliament a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview to news agency ANI, accused the Congress of spreading “lies” over the India-France defence deal. Modi cited the Supreme Court order of December last year to counter the Congress’s allegation of corruption in Rafale deal.

On December 14, the Supreme Court had ruled that no commercial favouritism was done in the Rafale deal while dismissing a bunch of petitions seeking probe into the multi-billion dollar defence agreement. Among the petitioners were former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie.

They have now moved the Supreme Court seeking review of the order passed by a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. India and France signed a deal in 2016 for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets manufactured by French company, the Dassault Aviation. The Congress has alleged corruption in the Rafale deal.