New Delhi, Nov 13 (UNI) Alleging that the affidavit filed by the NDA Government in the Supreme court on the Rafale issue ‘conceals more than it reveals’, the Congress on Tuesday said that the Centre should come clear on why approval to the deal for 36 Rafale aircraft was made three months after it was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.


Addressing a press conference here, AICC spokesperson Manish Tewari said,’’the affidavit filed by the NDA Government in the Supreme court on the Rafale deal conceals more than it reveals.

Based on what the Government has filed in the apex court, we want to ask it five questions. These five questions seek to underline the fact that the Government is concealing more than it is revealing.’’


Mr Tewari asked the Government as to why the contract for buying 36 rafale aircraft was signed in June, 2015, three months after it was announced in April 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He also asked the government whether the Indian air force was taken on board before signing the deal.


‘’If yes, when were the SQRs initiated.? Also, when was the statement of case made for the purchase of the aircraft?

In reality, neither was a new SQR initiated nor a statement of case made. It was a clear violation of procedure,’’Mr Tewari said.


He alleged that the approval of the defence acquisition council, was pre-decided for the purchase of 36 aircraft.


‘’Rather the whole process was structured to provide legitimacy to the decision,’’Mr Tewari said.


Pointing out that the Government affidavit said that the specifications of the 36 aircraft for which deal was signed were the same as that of the 126 aircraft for which deal was initiated by the UPA Government, Mr Tewari questioned as to why the price was increased by nearly Rs 1100 cr per aircraft.


He also alleged that the Defence procurement procedure 2013 was amended with retrospective effect in 2015 to obviate the requirement of the Defence Ministry’s approval for the offset partner.


‘’The Government needs to come clear on these questions,’’ he said.


On the statement by the Dassault CEO Eric Trapper that the aircraft was sold at a price nine per cent cheaper than the price arrived at the deal signed by the UPA, Mr Tewari said,’’the Dassault CEO did not say anything about the price at which they had contracted to sell Rafale aircraft in the deal reached with the UPA neither had he revealed the price at which they sold the aircraft to the NDA Government.


‘’If the Dassault CEO feel that he is clean, then he should reveal the price at which he signed the MMRCA deal and one at which his company signed the deal with the NDA,’’Mr Tewari said.

UNI AR SHK1802