Urban Mirror Correspondent
New Delhi, July 21: Notwithstanding NDA government’s clarification in Parliament over controversial deal with a French company Dassault Aviation for purchase of 36 Rafale fighter, the Lok Gathbandhan Party today reiterated its demand for open and independent investigation into the purchase at a higher cost. The party said the way this deal has been settled by the NDA government, it smacks of fishy negotiations aimed at financially helping a corporate house. Thus the LGP said the NDA government owed an explanation to the nation over the issue
Referring to NDA government’s statement during debate over no confidence motion that details of the defence deal could not be made public in the larger security interest, the LGP spokesman said here on Saturday alleged corruption cannot be hushed up in the name of security and national interest. Pointing out that the country wanted to know the cost of the aircraft and not other classified technical and security information the spokesman said the government’s argument about the fairness in deal is not sustainable.
Moreover the BJP in the past had already raised Bofors gun and Augusta helicopter deals in public, the spokesman said and added that the NDA government and especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come out clean on this issue. The party also wanted to know reasons for the cancellation of 2007 agreement with the French company, which appeared to be more beneficial, and sign fresh agreement at a higher cost without the transfer of technology to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in 2015. The spokesman said media reports amply indicated that previous agreement was scrapped for a new one to benefit Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Defense Limited (RDL). The LGP said it is intriguing that instead of reposing faith in time-tested public sector HAL, the NDA government has banked on a newly floated defense company.
The spokesman said that Rafale deal is smacked of all the ingredients of major financial scandal like three-decade old Bofors Howitzer gun and other similar deals of infamous Congress era. The LGP said the NDA government however cannot escape the responsibility to explain to the nation about causes of scrapping of previous deal and signing new one at the cost of state exchequer. The spokesman said according to information in 2007 the deal was finalized for purchase of 126 fighter aircrafts at a cost of $10.2 billion (Rs 54000 crore) which included import of 18 planes “in a fly-away condition” and rest of them-108- through transfer of technology to HAL. As per deal the French company was required to invest half of the total transaction amount in India, the party said and added the Modi government scrapping the deal has now decided to buy 36 aircrafts (all in fly-away condition) at the cost of 58000 crore without any involvement of HAL. The spokesman expressed surprise over the arrival of RDL on the scene and exclusion of HAL for maintenance of the imported planes.
