Three Rafale jets land in Bengaluru for Aero India show
Bengaluru : Amid a huge raging political storm over the Rafale deal, three French made fighter jets landed here for the Aero India show 2019, beginning February 20.
The fighter jets touched down at the Yelahanka Air Force Station, a defence official said.
The Rafale jets landed on a day when the Comptroller and Audit General (CAG) report on Indo-French Rafale deal was tabled in Parliament.
The Rafale fighter jet will take part in the rehearsals on Thursday for the five-day 12th edition of Asia's premier air show beginning on February 20, the official said.
Two of the fighters will be used for flying exercises and the third for static display, reports said.
The CAG report revealed that the Rafale deal negotiated by the NDA government to procure 36 fighter jets was 2.86 per cent cheaper than the UPA's 2007 offer.
The report also stated that India saved 17.08 per cent money for the India Specific Enhancements while purchasing 36 Rafale aircraft, as compared to the 126 aircraft deal negotiated by the UPA government.
It added that the delivery schedule of the first 18 Rafale aircraft was better than the one proposed in the 126 aircraft deal.
Dassault is scheduled to deliver four Rafales to India in September.
Union Minister Arun Jaitley said the lies of the Congress and opposition parties stand exposed by the CAG report on Rafale, which reaffirms the dictum that truth shall prevail.
"It cannot be that the Supreme Court is wrong, the CAG is wrong and only the dynast is right.
Satyameva Jayate" the truth shall prevail.
The CAG Report on Rafale reaffirms the dictum," Jaitley had said in a series of tweets.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who has been carrying on a sustained campaign against the Modi government on Rafale, said the CAG report does not mention the dissent note by negotiators and said he doesn't think its worth the paper its written on.
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Officials instructed to make sure no untoward incident during Bengaluru IPL match: Home Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said that preparations have been made for the inaugural IPL match at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy stadium on March 28, and the instructions have been given to police, the authorities and KSCA, which manages the venue, to ensure that there are no untoward incidents.
He also complimented the KSCA for installing a memorial plaque at the stadium in the honour of those killed in the stampede during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL victory celebration on June 4 last year.
Eleven people were killed, and a number of people were injured in the stampede outside the stadium, following which matches were stopped at the venue.
"The government has allowed the match to be held on March 28. All the corrections that were required have been done by the KSCA. The committee formed by the government, consisting of officials from the police, Greater Bengaluru Authority and other departments, is satisfied with the measures implemented by KSCA," Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said that police, KSCA and RCB have made all the necessary preparations for the IPL's inaugural match here on March 28.
"Also, necessary instructions have been given to ensure that untoward incidents don't repeat, and they too have agreed to it," he added.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 opener in Bengaluru on March 28.
Parameshwara said, following the tragedy during RCB's IPL victory celebrations, KSCA and the government had to face a lot of criticism globally. The government intervened and took several measures, including constituting the Justice John Michael Cunha Commission to look into the lapses.
After the commission submitted a report with recommendations, the government asked the KSCA to implement them, he said. "There are long and short-term recommendations. Since the KSCA made corrections as per recommendations, the matches have been permitted," he added.
