New Delhi, Dec 15 (UNI) Charging the Narendra Modi government with misleading the Supreme Court on the Rafale case, the Congress on Saturday reiterated the demand for a Joint Parliamentary committee probe into the deal.
The party said the Government had lied in the court by referring to the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on Rafale.
Talking to reporters here, Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said, 'The government did not present the facts to the court in a proper manner. The statement by the Attorney General in the Supreme Court gave an impression that a CAG report has been presented in the Public Accounts Committee which had studied it.
The court said that the report of the CAG has been examined by the PAC and that only a deducted portion of the report had been presented in Parliament and was in public domain. However, the report is not in public domain.'
'When the PAC examines a report, its obtains evidence and all members are present, including the Defence secretary . However, this is not the case.
When such false information is presented to the Supreme Court and it forms the basis of a decision, then it is a matter of surprise for the people,' Mr Kharge said.
He said he was writing to all members of the PAC that the Attorney General be called as also the CAG chief to ascertain as to when this CAG report was presented on the floor of Parliament.
'I am requesting all the members of the PAC that the Attorney General be called as also the CAG chief to ascertain as to when this CAG report was presented on the floor of the Parliament and also when the report was sent to the PAC.
They would also be asked as to when evidence was gathered on the CAG report,'Mr Kharge said.
He said a date for the PAC meeting would be fixed.
He said the government should apologise to the Nation for misleading the court on the issue.
Reiterating the demand for a JPC probe into the deal, he said , 'they are trying to mislead the people and telling lies to prove that they are correct. That is why we are demanding a constitution of the JPC in the matter and an inquiry by it.
The Supreme Court is not a forum on Inquiry. It can make a decision only based on evidence presented to it. All parties have demanded setting up of a JPC. We continue to stick to our demand for a JPC probe that will bring out the truth in the matter.'
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday had said that the government had lied to the court about the CAG report on Rafale deal.
He had reiterated the demand for a JPC probe into the deal.
UNI AR SV 1158