Government has no option but to order JPC probe into Rafale deal: Congress
New Delhi, Jul 5: The Congress on Monday asserted that the government has no option but to order a JPC probe into the allegations of corruption in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence even 48 hours after an investigation in France was ordered into the deal.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said truth cannot be silenced while former defence minister A K Antony said the the Modi government cannot escape accountability by keeping mum and alleged that it points towards a "mal-intent to hush up" alleged corruption in the deal.
"Truth can't be silenced. Unlike Modia'," Gandhi tweeted, using the hashtag "RafaleScam".
He also shared a video of a journalist of French media firm Mediapart who claimed that the then French president Francois Hollande had said that the Indian government had proposed Anil Ambani's Reliance group as a partner of Dassault in the deal.
Antony alleged that "prima facie corruption in the Rafale deal is now apparent", as the French Public Prosecution Services has now appointed a judge to investigate "corruption, influence peddling and brazen favouritism" in the 36-aircraft Rafale deal.
"The intriguing silence of the Modi Government points towards mal-intent to hush up the corruption. The refusal of the BJP Government to probe and punish the guilty is even more astonishing, pointing towards a concerted effort to bury the scam," the former defence minister said.
He said the series of events and documents in public records have now affirmed the stance of the Congress party about "wrongdoing and corruption" in the Rafale deal.
"What is, indeed, mysterious is the fact that despite 48 hours having lapsed, the prime minister and the defence minister have decided to maintain complete silence on the ordering of corruption investigation into Rafale deal by the French Public Prosecution Services.
"The simple question is why has the government chosen to remain mum'? Why have the prime minister and the defence minister not come forward to react to the shocking and sensational development of a corruption probe in the Rafale deal by the Public Prosecution Services of France?
"Can Modi Government escape accountability for corruption allegations by its intriguing silence? Is it not the responsibility of the Government to come forward and accept the truth," Antony asked.
The senior Congress leader said this is even more important as 36 aircraft are being purchased by India under an inter-governmental agreement and one party to the agreement - the French government has proceeded to order an investigation through a judge.
"The only way forward is to accept accountability and order a free and fair JPC probe into the entire set of facts, evidence and allegations of corruption in the Rafale deal," he said.
Antony alleged that Prime Minister Modi went to Paris on April 10, 2015 and unilaterally announced the purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft "without going through any tender process and in complete derogation of the Defence Procurement Procedure'".
He claimed that every defence expert was shocked by this unilateral order which is India's biggest defence deal.
It was even more surprising because there was an ongoing negotiation for the purchase of 126 Rafale aircraft in pursuance of an international tender, which envisaged 108 aircraft to be made in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and 18 aircraft to be purchased in fly-away condition, he said.
He said this international tender for 126 aircraft also envisaged the all-important 'transfer of technology' to India, but till today neither the prime minister nor the BJP government has explained the reason for reducing the number of aircraft from 126 to 36 or the reason for sacrificing the transfer of technology to India.
The BJP government has also not explained the basis or the reason for enhancing the price of the 36 aircraft or for denying the offset contract to the government's PSU, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, he said.
The BJP government has also not stated the reason for the fact that when the clearance from Defence Acquisition Council' had been given and there was an ongoing tender for which negotiations were being finalised, how could the prime minister and the government unilaterally enter into another agreement, the senior Congres leader said.
The opposition Congress has been alleging "wrongdoing" in the defence deal and had raised it as one of the main issues to target Modi during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
It has demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe and is now set to escalate its attack on the government by raising the issue during the Monsoon session of Parliament from July 19.
The government has denied allegations of corruption in the deal.
The BJP had on Sunday hit out at the Congress for again raising questions over the Rafale deal and sought to know why its government did not procure the fighter planes for 10 years despite a depleted squadron strength of the Indian Air Force.
"Is it because the Gandhi family did not get their desired 'commission'?" BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra had said.
Truth can’t be silenced. Unlike ‘Modia’.#RafaleScam pic.twitter.com/LPuSvyhlKQ
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 5, 2021
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Bibhav Kumar attacked me with full force again and again: AAP MP Maliwal in FIR
New Delhi (PTI): AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal was "kicked and slapped seven to eight times" allegedly by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar at the former's official residence, and "did not relent" despite her asking him to stop, according to the FIR registered by the Delhi Police.
In the FIR regarding the alleged assault on her, Maliwal also claimed that Kumar hit her with "full force again and again" but no one came to her rescue. She also alleged that despite telling Kumar that she was menstruating and in pain, he did not budge.
The FIR quotes Maliwal as saying that this "is one of the most difficult times of my life" and "the pain, trauma and harassment has been mind-numbing".
"... I am also having difficulty in walking," she said in the FIR, a copy of which is with PTI.
Maliwal, who earlier served as the chief of Delhi Commission For Women, said her situation is "exacerbated by the fact that having worked all my life for women issues and having helped lakhs of women get justice", she "ended up being brutally beaten by a person whom I know for long".
"I am deeply disturbed by this incident and am distraught that someone could display such 'goonda' behaviour," read the FIR.
She has called for the strongest possible action in the matter.
The details of the alleged assault on Maliwal, which took place at Kejriwal's official residence on Monday, emerged on Friday as the Rajya Sabha MP appeared before a magistrate at the Tis Hazari court to record her statement in the case.
The Delhi Police on Thursday registered an FIR in the matter and named Kumar as an accused in the case, officials said.
A purported video of Delhi Chief Minister's residence showing Maliwal arguing with the security staff at the time of the alleged assault, went viral on social media on Friday.
According to the FIR, she had gone to meet Kejriwal at his official residence at 9 am on Monday. Recalling the events, she told police that she went inside the camp office and called Kumar but could not get through. She went towards the residential area and asked the staff to inform Kejriwal about her arrival.
"I was informed that he was present in the house and I was told to wait in the drawing room," she said.
She said while she was waiting for Kejriwal, Kumar barged into the room and started "screaming at me without any provocation and even started abusing me".
"Tu kaise hamari baat nahi manegi? Kaise nahi manegi? S**i teri aukat kya hai ki humko na kar de. Samajhti kya hai khud ko n**h aurat? Tujhe to hum sabak sikhayenge (How will you not follow what we are saying? How will you not follow? How dare you say no to us? What to do you think of yourself **** woman? We will teach you a lesson," read the FIR.
In the FIR, she said that "without any provocation" from her end, Kumar started "slapping" her with his "full force".
"He slapped me seven-eight times at least while I continued screaming. I felt absolutely shocked and was screaming for help over and over again. In order to protect (myself), pushed him away with my legs," she said.
"At that time, he pounced on me, brutally dragged me and deliberately pulled my shirt up. My shirt buttons opened and the shirt came up. I landed on the floor while hitting my head on the centre table. I was constantly screaming for help but no one came," she further said.
She alleged that Kumar "did not relent and attacked me by kicking me in my chest, stomach" and lower part of the body "with his legs".
"I was in extreme pain and kept telling him to stop. My shirt was coming up but he still continued to assault me. I repeatedly told him that I am having my periods and that he should please let go of me as I am in unbearable pain," she said in the FIR.
Following the incident, she said she "was in a terrible state of shock at this unprovoked attack". Recalling the time, she said she was "deeply traumatised" and called the emergency number 112 to inform about the incident.
Bibhav threatened me and said, "Kar le jo tujhe karna hai, tu hamara kuch nahi bigaad sakti, teri haddi pasli tudwa denge aur aise jagah gadenge kisi ko pata bhi nahi chalega. (You can do whatever you want, you cannot harm us. We will break your bones and bury you at a place where no one would even get to know)".
She said that Kumar left the room after learning that she had called the police helpline but returned with the security personnel working at the main gate of the CM's camp offices.
In the FIR, she said they asked her to leave "at the behest of Kumar". She said that she kept telling them that she was "brutally beaten up" and asked them to wait until the PCR van comes.
She said she got into an autorickshaw with the help of the PCR staff.
"I reached there (Civil Lines police station) and sat in the SHO room, where I was crying and informed the SHO about the incident," she said.
"I was in terrible pain and having severe cramps. I also started receiving a lot of calls from media on my mobile. Due to the trauma, pain and not wanting to politicise the incident, I left the police station without filing a written complaint," she said, adding her head was splitting in pain and her arms and legs were "aching terribly due to the assault".
Maliwal said the past days since the incident have been "extremely painful for her".
