Modi govt. reaches its peak of corruption: Dinesh Gundu Rao
Misappropriation in Rafale fighter plane deal
Bengaluru, July 26: KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao alleged that by changing the agreement done during the UPA government on purchasing Rafale fighter planes, the Narendra Modi government at the centre has reached its peak in corruption.
Speaking to reporters at the KPCC office here on Thursday, Dinesh Gundu Rao said that apart from destroying the economic system of the country, the central government has changed the foreign policy, being followed since independence. By sowing the seed of hatred, Narendra Modi has sold the interest of the security of the country for the sake of his friends. By doing this, the Modi government has avoided the HAL Company to get financial boost up and generate employment opportunities, and transferring of much needed technology required for manufacturing aircrafts and became a middleman by helping his friend Anil Ambani’s industry, he alleged.
The UPA government had an agreement with France to purchase 126 fighter planes at a cost of Rs 54,000 crore for Indian Air Force. Agreement was made with the Dassault company to give 18 planes in ‘ready-to-fly’ condition to India and developing remaining 108 planes in HAL Company in Bengaluru through technology transfer. But in April 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flouted all norms to make an agreement to purchase 36 planes for Rs 60000 crore and it was announced in a press conference, he said.
Now, the central government has made an agreement with the Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited, recently floated by Anil Ambani, to purchase the spare parts of fighter planes for Rs 30000 crore. Unfortunately, his company has no experience in producing those spare parts and does not have that technology as well, the KPCC chief said.
As per the UPA government agreement, one plane would cost Rs 526.10 crore. But as per the Modi government agreement, each plane would cost Rs 1670.70 crore. Interestingly, this international agreement was not discussed in the Defence Sub-Committee of the Cabinet and it was a clear violation of the norms of purchasing defence materials. The Ministry of Defence did not have any information about the deal. While purchasing Miraz and Sukhoi planes, the UPA government had informed the Parliament and the country about their prices and done a transparent transaction. But the Modi government had the Parliament that each plane would cost Rs 670 crore. But in its annual report, Dassault company had mentioned the price of each plane as Rs 1670 crore, he displayed the records.
Questions to PM
- What’s the reason for purchasing just 36 planes instead of 126 planes and technology transfer?
- Why did you avoid the Defence Sub-Committee of Cabinet and violate defence equipment norms?
- For what purpose the private company was given the contract forgetting the HAL, the pride of the country?
- Why the government is hesitating to disclose the actual price of planes?
The silence of Narendra Modi in this deal would pave way for more suspicions. This would definitely register in the history that it was the worst deal happened in the century. Modi’s development and ‘Achhe Din’ were just a causerie. The Prime Minister should disclose the truth in this Session. Otherwise, the Congress would fight against the central government, Dinesh said.
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Supreme Court rejects plea for reverting to ballots in elections
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to revert to ballot paper voting in elections in the country.
"What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs (electronic voting machine) are not tampered. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with)," remarked a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale.
Apart from ballot paper voting, the plea sought several directions including a directive to the Election Commission to disqualify candidates for a minimum of five years if found guilty of distributing money, liquor or other material inducement to the voters during polls.
When petitioner-in-person K A Paul said he filed the PIL, the bench said, "You have interesting PILs. How do you get these brilliant ideas?".
The petitioner said he is the president of an organisation which has rescued over three lakh orphans and 40 lakh widows.
"Why are you getting into this political arena? Your area of work is very different," the bench retorted.
After Paul revealed he had been to over 150 countries, the bench asked him whether each of the nations had ballot paper voting or used electronic voting.
The petitioner said foreign countries had adopted ballot paper voting and India should follow suit.
"Why you don't want to be different from the rest of the world?" asked the bench.
There was corruption and this year (2024) in June, the Election Commission announced they had seized Rs 9,000 crore, Paul responded.
"But how does that make your relief which you are claiming here relevant?" asked the bench, adding "if you shift back to physical ballot, will there be no corruption?".
Paul claimed CEO and co-founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, stated that EVMs could be tampered with and added TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, the current chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, and former state chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had claimed EVMs could be tampered with.
"When Chandrababu Naidu lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with. Now this time, Jagan Mohan Reddy lost, he said EVMs can be tampered with," noted the bench.
When the petitioner said everybody knew money was distributed in elections, the bench remarked, "We never received any money for any elections."
The petitioner said another prayer in his plea was the formulation of a comprehensive framework to regulate the use of money and liquor during election campaigns and ensuring such practices were prohibited and punishable under the law.
The plea further sought a direction to mandate an extensive voter education campaign to raise awareness and importance of informed decision making.
"Today, 32 per cent educated people are not casting their votes. What a tragedy. If democracy will be dying like this and we will not be able to do anything then what will happen in the years to come in future," the petitioner said.
