The Congress party has claimed that it will make some startling revelations related to the Rafale fighter jets deal at 4 pm on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference in the national capital, former defence minister AK Antony confirmed the same even as he attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government over the deal with the French government.
Antony questioned the claims of the central government that the deal struck by Modi government was more economical than the one by the previous Congress-led UPA government. “If the deal was cheaper, why only 36 jets were bought instead of 126,” said the veteran Congress leader.
The former defence minister alleged that national security had been compromised in the Rafale fighter jets deal. He also said that the government had disrespected Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) by cancelling its tender in the deal.
This comes just days after Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman alleged that the opposition was misleading the nation of the Rafale deal. She had also ruled out any engagement with the opposition over the same.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Sitharaman had said the government decided to go for procuring only two squadrons of Rafale jets as an emergency measure in the wake of China and Pakistan significantly ramping up their air power by inducting stealth fighters.
“Is there any point of calling them and explaining? They are misleading the country with something which was not even agreed to during the UPA government. You are throwing an allegation saying there is a fraud. You did not care for operational preparedness of the air force,” she said.
Led by the Congress, opposition parties have been attacking the Modi government alleging it is procuring 36 Rafale jets from France at an exorbitantly high cost.
Congress has said the UPA finalised a price of Rs 526 crore per fighter while negotiating a deal to buy 126 Rafale jets, but the current government is buying each aircraft at Rs 1,670 crore when the weapons and avionics onboard the jets will be of same configuration.
Source: Zee News