Modi government lied on India-specific enhancements in Rafale deal: Congress
Chandigarh, Sep 8 : Congress on Saturday alleged that Modi government lied on the India-specific enhancements in the Rs 41,000-crore Rafale deal and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's reply.
The party said India-specific enhancements in the NDA deal were the same as the UPA deal.
"Yet the Prime Minister and Defence Minister are lying on enhancement of cost per aircraft from Rs 5,26 crore to Rs 1,670 crore," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala in a statement.
"Modi government has been caught in a web of lies of its own making," he added.
The party said the deal caused a massive loss of Rs 41,000 crore to public exchequer by purchasing the 36 Rafale aircraft with the same configuration at thrice the price i.e. Rs. 526 crore per aircraft during Congress-UPA to Rs 1,670 crore per aircraft during Modi government.
The party said the deal squandered away 'national interests' by forgoing the transfer of technology to public sector undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL).
Surjewala said Modi, Sitharaman and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley "brazenly lied" when they tried to whitewash Modi government's "sins" by implying that the aircraft bought by the BJP government was different on account of India-specific enhancements.
"Information in public domain affirms that according to the ‘Air Staff Qualitative Requirements' (ASQR) provided by the Indian Air Force (IAF) there were 13 India-specific enhancements demanded by India during the 126 aircraft MMRCA Contract issued by UPA government," said Surjewala.
It included Radar enhancement, Helmet-mounted display, Towed decoy system, Low band jammer, Radio altimeter and Ability to start and operate from High Altitude Airfields.
"Combat aircraft tender issued by Congress government clearly envisaged ‘full weaponry' and ‘transfer of technology', which is missing in the BJP government's deal.
"RFP issued by Congress government clearly states cost of initial purchase, transfer of technology and licensed production," said the leader.
The party said claim of Modi government that cost is increased on account on additional technical specifications was blatantly false.
"The Rafale aircraft being purchased earlier (UPA-Congress Govt) and now (Modi government) including ‘its associated systems and weapons' are the same as tested and approved by Indian Air Force during UPA-Congress government," he added.
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36 ex-judges slam Opposition move to impeach Justice Swaminathan
New Delhi (PTI): Thirty-six former judges on Saturday gave a call to people, including parliamentarians, to denounce opposition leaders' move to impeach Madras High Court judge Justice G R Swaminathan, saying such an attempt, if allowed to proceed, would cut at the very roots of democracy and independence of the judiciary.
On December 1, Justice Swaminathan held that the Arulmighu Subramania Swamy Temple was duty-bound to light the lamp at the Deepathoon, in addition to the customary lighting near the Uchi Pillaiyar Mandapam.
The single-judge bench said that doing so would not encroach upon the rights of the adjacent dargah or the Muslim community.
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The order sparked a row, and on December 9, several opposition MPs, led by the DMK, submitted a notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to move a motion for the removal of the judge.
Taking serious exception to the move, the former judges in a joint statement said this is a "brazen attempt to browbeat judges who do not fall in line with the ideological and political expectations of a particular section of society".
"If such an attempt is permitted to proceed, it would cut at the very roots of our democracy and the independence of the judiciary," they said.
"We therefore call upon all stakeholders -- Members of Parliament across party lines, members of the Bar, civil society, and citizens at large -- to unequivocally denounce this move and ensure that it is nipped in the bud at the very inception," they added.
The statement emphasised that the judges must remain answerable to their oath and to the Constitution of India, not to "partisan political pressures or ideological intimidation".
"The message from all constitutional stakeholders must be clear and firm: in a republic governed by the rule of law, judgments are tested by appeals and legal critique, and not by threats of impeachment for political nonconformity," it said.
The statement was signed by former Supreme Court judge Krishn Murari J as well as ex-chief justices and former judges of different high courts.
The statement said the opposition party's move is not an "isolated aberration". It fits into a "clear and deeply troubling pattern" in India's recent constitutional history, where sections of the political class have sought to discredit and intimidate the higher judiciary whenever outcomes do not align with their interests, it added.
"The unprecedented bid in 2018 to initiate impeachment proceedings against then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, the sustained campaigns of vilification directed at Chief Justices Ranjan Gogoi, S A Bobde and D Y Chandrachud while they were in office," the statement noted.
"The targeted attacks now being mounted against the incumbent CJI, Justice Surya Kant, whenever a judgment/remark displeases a political constituency, are all manifestations of the same trend," it said.
"This is not principled, reasoned criticism of judicial decisions; it is an attempt to weaponise impeachment and public calumny as instruments of pressure -- a practice that strikes at the heart of judicial independence and the basic norms of constitutional democracy," the statement added.
