New Delhi: The political row over the Rafale jet deal escalated with Dassault CEO Eric Trappier saying that there is no wrong-doing in the contract and the Congress dismissing his claims as “manufactured lies”. Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has admitted to “theft” in the Rafale deal before the Supreme Court and to changes in the contract without asking the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The Congress on Tuesday responded sharply to Mr Trappier’s defence of the contract in a media interview in which he claimed no wrong-doing in the Rs 58,000 crore deal asserting it was a “clean deal”. Mr Trappier also claimed that it was his company that chose Reliance as an offset partner. Mr Gandhi tweeted, “Modi ji has admitted to his theft in the Supreme Court. In the affidavit, he admitted to changes in the contract without asking the Air Force and put Rs 30,000 crore in Ambani’s pocket.”
“The picture is still to come my friend,” Mr Gandhi added in a tweet in Hindi, tagging a media report alleging that the government has thrown up more “wrong-doings” by Mr Modi in the Rafale deal in its affidavit before the Supreme Court.
Mr Gandhi also raised the Rafale jet issue at a poll rally in Chhattisgarh and said that Mr Modi went to France with Anil Ambani, snatched the Rafale contract from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and gave it to him.
The Prime Minister snatched Rs 30,000 crore from the poor and put it in Anil Ambani’s pocket, Mr Gandhi said in Raipur.
Attacking the Dassault CEO, Congress communications chief Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “Dictated ‘interviews’ and ‘manufactured lies’ cannot suppress the Rafale scam. First rule of law — mutual beneficiaries and co-accused’s statements hold no value. Second rule — beneficiaries and accused can’t be judge in their own case. Truth has a way of coming out.”
He added, “Fixed match between the BJP government and Dassault and PR stunts of PM Modi and Eric Trappier can’t hide the blatant corruption.”
In his interview, Mr Trappier had rebutted the Congress’ claim on jet pricing by saying that the price of the Rafale in a “flyaway” condition is less expensive in the NDA deal than in the UPA deal.
Mr Trappier said, “Price of 36 (aircraft) was exactly the same when you compare with 18 flyaway. 36 is the double of 18, so as far as I was concerned, it should have been double the price. But because it was government to government, there was some negotiation, I had to decrease (the) price by 9%. The price of Rafale in flyaway condition is less expensive in the 36 (aircraft) contract than the 126 (aircraft) contract.”
French aerospace major Dassault Aviation has partnered with Reliance Defence Ltd for delivering 36 Rafale fighter jets to the IAF. The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the defence procurement procedure (DPP), as laid out by the UPA in 2013, was “completely followed” in the procurement of the 36 jets from France and the deal was subsequently approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). Reliance, in previous statements, has said that the Indian government,
French government, Dassault and Reliance have clarified on multiple occasions that there is no offset contract for Rs 30,000 crore to Reliance as alleged by the Congress.
