New Delhi, Dec 13: The Congress Friday said the Supreme Court has vindicated its stand that "corruption" in the Rafale fighter jet deal cannot be decided by it and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the deal.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Congress had stated earlier that the Rafale issue cannot be decided by the Supreme Court, and the alleged corruption in the defence contract can only be brought out by a JPC after examining the files and notings in the contract.

"The verdict of the Supreme Court is a validation of what the Congress party stated months ago that the Supreme Court is not the forum to decide such sensitive defence contracts," he told reporters.

Surjewala said the only forum that can probe the corruption in the Rafale contract after examining the pricing process and sovereign guarantee is the JPC.

"If they have nothing to hide, I challenge Modi ji and his government to submit to a JPC probe which will question and go into the corruption in the defence deal," he said.

"We again challenge the prime minister for a JPC probe to unveil every layer of corruption in the deal," he said, alleging that corruption has been "guided by the highest echelons of power".

The Congress leader also alleged that the government gave a "one-sided half-baked information to the Supreme Court which has not been scrutinised by anyone".

Surjewala said the Congress has maintained from day-one that it wants a JPC probe and the government should agree to it if it has nothing to hide.

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has slammed the BJP government in the Centre for the hike in the price of commercial LPG, saying the sudden rise of the fuel rate by Rs 993 a cylinder has hit the common man hard.

Critically commenting that this was expected of the Centre after elections to five states, Rao posted in Kannada on his ‘X’ account on Saturday that the people have been shown only the trailer and, the real struggle is yet to begin.

“Since there is no election in any state, there will certainly be major hikes in the rates of petrol, diesel and domestic LPG in barely a few days,” he has predicted.

The minister has further tweeted, “The rate of commercial LPG has gone up to Rs 3,152 per cylinder, which will hit the hotel industry greatly. Ironically, the direct impact of the hike will be on customers of hotel.”

He pointed out that, earlier, the price used to be hiked by approximately Rs 50 and Rs 100 a cylinder. “This time, the rate has been shot up by Rs 993. What do we call this except daylight robbery? Can this be the ‘Acche Din’ that the BJP has been promising?” Rao asked mockingly.

He also questioned the cause for BJP members’ silence for the rate hike, reminding that the party always ‘threw a tantrum’ when a non-BJP government does so even at a minor level. “Does this reflect their fear of ‘Vishwaguru’ Modi? Is it the party’s sheer disregard for the welfare of the people?” he has questioned.