Urban Mirror Correspondent
New Delhi, August 05: The Lok Gathbandhan Party (LGP) reiterating its demand for thorough probe into purchase of Rafale aircraft from France, said that the issue has also reverberated in French media about the final conclusion of the controversial deal. The LGP said the French papers have raised the internal issues about the supply of Rafale aircraft which has so far not been provided to any other country.
The spokesman said here on Wednesday that French media which has been closely monitoring the deal with India has also expressed doubt about its finality, as the France Air Force too required the aircraft and there is cap on its production. Pointing out internal compulsion the French media has also noted “electoral calendar in India and opposition to the deal by some opposition leadersâ€. The spokesman said reports in French media pointed out the issue of “cost review†being raised in India that “could seriously delay the signature of the dealâ€.
The spokesman said nothwithstanding NDA government’s clarification over the fishy deal from French company Dassault Aviation for the purchase of 36 aircraft, an independent investigation is required into purchase at a higher cost. The spokesman said the way this deal has been settled by the government it smacks of shady negotiations aimed at financially helping a corporate house. The spokesman said now after French media too taking up the sale issue, albiet in a different way, it has become all the more important for the NDA government to explain the situation. The spokesman said 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.
