Rafale Deal: Congress Demands JPC Probe, BJP Terms Claims As Lies After Reports Of Investigation In France

The Congress party's fresh salvo comes after reports stated that a criminal investigation has been opened into the 2016 Rafale deal in France.

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New Delhi: The Congress party has once again raised the demand to conduct a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Rafale deal.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Saturday claimed that Congress and its former president Rahul Gandhi's statements about corruption in the Rafale deal have been proven.

The Congress party's fresh salvo comes after reports stated that a criminal investigation has been opened into the 2016 Rafale deal signed with India for the sale of 36 Dassault-built fighter jets.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that "French website 'Mediapart' has made public all the evidence in the Reliance-Dassault deal".

"Modi Government's 'sweetheart' deal (Rafale Deal) is clear. Will Prime Minister Narendra Modi allow Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation now?" he questioned.

Congress has been stating from the beginning that the Supreme Court cannot investigate this matter and hence, the party did not approach the Supreme Court, Surjewala said, adding that the party maintains that the deal should be investigated through JPC.

The Congress leader hinted at the plan to raise this matter in the upcoming Parliament session, saying "we will raise this matter concerning national security inside and outside Parliament".

Responding to this, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sambit Patra held a press conference wherein he termed Congress's claims about the Rafale deal as lies. He said that the party and its former president have been lying to people be it about French President Emmanuel Macron's statement or approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

"Congress is synonymous with lies and myths. Today they lied about Rafale deal, again. If a country's (France) NGO (Sherpa) complains over a charge and its financial prosecution body orders a probe accordingly, it should not be seen as corruption," he said.

Sambit Patra also stated that Congress and Rahul Gandhi have been quoting different figures while alleging corruption in the Rafale deal.

"As far as the investigation is concerned, the Supreme Court of India and the CAG have placed their report on Rafale in the public domain. The people have seen both these reports," he asserted, adding that "the illusion that Rahul Gandhi tried to spread before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections did not work for him and Modi Ji got a huge victory in the court of public".

The matter of Rafale deal with France becomes the eye of controversy from time to time. This time, the issue has been stoked after reports of an investigation being opened into the Rafale deal came in. The pact was signed between France and India in 2016 for the sale of 36 Dassault-built fighter jets.

Investigation In France

French publication 'Mediapart' on Friday reported that the criminal investigation will be conducted under the leadership of an independent magistrate "who will, among other elements, examine questions surrounding the actions of former French president François Hollande".

Former French president Hollande was in office when the Rafale deal was finalised, while the current French president Emmanuel Macron was Hollande’s economy and finance minister at that time.

The financial crimes branch of the French public prosecution services (PNF) has stated that the investigation will look into allegations of corruption and favouritism in the pact for 36 fighter planes between the Indian government and French aircraft manufacturer Dassault.