Rafale Deal: Congress tells Jaitley smokescreens won’t cover tracks of corruption

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has jumped to the defence of the Narendra Modi Government after the disclosure by French President Francois Hollande that it was the Indian Government that had a role in selecting Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence as offset partner for the Rafale fighter jet deal, and neither the French Government of Rafale jet-makers Dassault Aviation had any choice in the matter. The Modi Govt continues to maintain that it had no role in selecting Reliance Defence as offset partner for the Rafale deal.

After Hollande’s revelation, dubbed the ‘Hollande Bombshell’ by commentators on social media, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party is firmly on the back-foot. However, instead of answering the pertinent questions raised by the Opposition Congress party over the murky Rafale deal, enraged senior ministers of the Modi Government have been targeting the Congress party, and personally targeting its president Rahul Gandhi.

Jaitley criticised Congress President Rahul Gandhi for calling the deal a 'surgical strike' by Prime Minister Modi and Anil Ambani on the Indian defence forces. Jaitley repeated the Modi Government’s line that, with regard to the 36 Rafale aircrafts to be supplied by Dassault Aviation to India, the partners (Dassault and Reliance) selected themselves. Jaitley also claimed that the French Government had categorically denied the correctness of the former President’s first statement, which has also been denied by Dassault Aviation.

Without answering any of the questions raised by Rahul over the deal—including on how the price of a Rafale jet fixed at ₹520 crores by the previous UPA Government became Rs ₹1,600 crores when the Modi government announced the deal afresh—Jaitley sough to make it clear that despite the allegations, the Rafale deal would not be cancelled.

The Congress, however, was prompt to hit back at Jaitley. “Subterfuge and smokescreens won’t cover the tracks of corruption. French Government’s statement tells us “what is the procedure”, not “what transpired” between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President [Francois] Hollande, wherein Modiji asked for a ₹30,000 crore contract to Reliance. Can you dare to ask the PM?,” was the response from Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. "Neither French Govt has denied Mr Hollande’s assertion, nor Modiji has denied having asked for ₹30,000 crore contract for Reliance Defence. Mr Hollande has repeated his previous statement to AFP. Then who are you?” asked Surjewala.

“There is only one question here,” said the Congress spokesperson: “Why is PM Modi mum? Why has he not denied Mr Hollande’s statement? Is it not an admission of guilt?”