New Delhi, Sep 22 (UNI) Charging Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad of indulging in lies when faced with the statement by former French President Francois Hollande that he had no say in the choice of Anil Ambani as the offset partner of Dessault in the Rafale deal, the Congress on Saturday said that his remarks reflected the deep frustration of the BJP over the latest revelations.
Addressing a press conference here, AICC media incharge Randeep Surjewala termed as ‘totally false’ the statement by the Law Minister that Dassault Aviation had signed a contract with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Limited to execute the offset contract.
‘’Faced with ‘Truth’ on #RafaleScam, Modiji’s Court Jesters and Pack of Liars are deeply unnerved, agitated and frustrated. Abuse and Subterfuge is the only weapon left in the armoury of ‘House of Lies’.
A peeved and flummoxed Law Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad who has been a counsel for Anil Ambani in the past, dished out a cacophony of slander and calumny to vent out his frustration and has tied himself in knots in verbal diarrhea of lies,’’Mr Surjewala said.
Refuting the statement by the Law Minister that Dassault Aviation had signed a contract with Reliance Industries Limited to execute the offset contract, Mr Surjewala said.’’as part of the conspiracy to obfuscate and divert, Law Minister and Defence Ministry referred to a news article of February 2012 to say that Dassault Aviation had signed a contract with Reliance Industries Limited to execute the offset contract.
This is totally false and utter rubbish being dished out, unfortunately by Defence Ministry and Law Minister. No such contract or MoU was ever signed between Dassault Aviation and Mr Mukesh Ambani’s company. They have the records. We challenge the Law Minister and Defence Minister to make any such record public. As there is no record, the lies will be exposed. Truth is that, Dassault Aviation had entered into a Work-Share arrangement with PSU, HAL. This is proved by statement by Dassault CEO Eric Trappier in the Annual Report 2013-14 of the company. On March 25, 2015, (just 17 days before PM Modi announced the purchase of 36 Rafales on 10th April, 2015), Dassault CEO, Eric Trappier, in the presence of Chief of Indian Air Force and HAL Chairman, stated that negotiations with HAL are at final stage and “contract finalisation and signature would come very soon”. On March 13, 2014, a ‘Work Share Agreement’ was signed between HAL and Dassault Aviation.’’
On the claim by the Law Minister that PM Modi had no role in decision to grant Rs 30,000 Cr ‘Offset Contract’ to Mr Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence, Mr Surjewala said,’’the then French President, Francois Hollande clearly claimed in an interview ‘Mediapart.fr’ that in the new deal to purchase 36 aircrafts, Indian Government proposed Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence for the ‘Offset Contract’ and the French Government didn’t have a choice but to accept Admittedly, this 36 aircraft deal was negotiated between the French President, Mr. Francois Hollande and Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
Neither Mr Narendra Modi, nor the French Government have stated that the then French President, Mr. Francois Hollande is not right. Even today, Mr. Hollande has re-confirmed his statement. Even Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad did not contradict it. It is, thus, clear that the PM was sacrificing National Interests as also interests of Government Company, HAL and was serving the interests of Reliance Defence. ‘’
He also refuted the statement by the Law Minister that Congress-UPA purchased Rafale aircrafts without weapons, while Modi Government purchased the aircrafts with weapons.
‘’ This is utterly false. Law Minister is challenging the credibility, competence & integrity of Indian Air Force. This itself is Anti National! RFP issued on 28.08.2007 by UPA-Congress envisaged full weaponry, avionics as also ‘Transfer of Technology’. IAF had also issued ‘Air Staff Qualitative Requirements’ [ASQR] which were part of the 126 aircraft deal containing India Specific Enhancement.
This fact has been admitted in the Joint Statement dated 10th April 2015 issued by French President Francois Hollande and PM Narendra Modi,’’he said.
On the Law Minister claim that they bought 36 aircrafts because rest of the aircrafts will be ‘Made in India’, he said,’’this is totally false and misinformation. Not a single aircraft more will be ‘Made in India’. Congress-UPA would have manufactured 108 aircrafts in India through ‘Transfer of Technology’. This was shelved by the Prime Minister to help his friends. ‘’
UNI AR SHK2003