Urban Mirror Correspondent
New Delhi, October 25: With fishy Rafale fighter deal controversy now landing in the Supreme Court the Lok Gathbandhan Party (LGP) today reiterated its demand for scraping of the deal and court-monitored investigation into the matter. The LGP said since this deal is no less dubious than other defence purchases in the past during the Congress governments, an honest probe into the matter has become imperative and the NDA government cannot brush aside it any longer.
The spokesman of the LGP, headed by former Secretary Government of India Vijay Shankar Pandey, said here on Thursday that the revelation that apart from other issues the removal of CBI chief Alok Verma was also linked with the deal as he wanted to investigate into the matter deal, has further exposed the NDA government. Repeated clarifications of the government have failed to satisfy the people, the spokesman said and added in order to serve the interest of crony capitalist it has refused to scarp the deal, therefore only alternative is to seek judicial remedy to save the nation from major defence scandal. The spokesman said just by sloganeering on honesty and transparency the NDA leadership cannot mislead the people which will surely reflect in 2019 Lok Sabha election. Pointing out that Rafale deal is mother of all corruption, the spokesman said it is shocking that interest of the country has been pushed aside to look after financial interest of a corporate house.
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 Rs 58000 crore without any involvement of HAL. The spokesman expressed surprise over the arrival of the corporate house on the scene and exclusion of HAL for maintenance of the imported planes. Asserting 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.
