Rs 1.30 lakh crore scandal in Rafale deal: Former minister Jaipal Reddy
Bengaluru, August 30: Former union minister Jaipal Reddy alleged that there was Rs 1.30 lakh crore scandal in Rafale fighter jets purchasing deal.
Speaking to reporters at the KPCC office here on Thursday, Reddy said that during UPA government, an agreement was made to manufacture 108 fighter jets in HAL through technology transfer. HAL company was a pride of the country and Bengaluru. It has provided jobs to more than 30,000 people. As the NDA government led by Narendra Modi scrapped the deal, the country has incurred Rs 41,000 crore loss and around 10,000 employees have become jobless, he said.
On April 8, 2015, the Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a statement that the dialogue between HAL and French Company related to manufacturing Rafale fighter jets was going on positively. But within two days after this, Modi who had been to France tour, scrapped the deal. Now, the company owned by Anil Ambani and registered on March 28, 2015 got important place in the deal, he alleged.
During UPA period, there was an agreement for 126 Rafale fighter jets. But now, only 36 flights would be purchased. What concerns do they have for the security of the country? Neglecting the efficiency and capacity of the HAL, the NDA government has laid red-carpet to the company which does not have any experience in the defence field and thus, pushed the HAL to the hell, he alleged.
Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman who was elected to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka was an experienced Parliamentarian and she was given the important portfolio. She has given a statement that the fighter flights would be purchased with less than 9 per cent compared to the deal of the UPA regime. But she did not disclose the actual price of the deal, he said.
Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also not speaking anything about the deal. As to why the central government was hiding the information about the deal from the people of the country? Anil Ambani was acting as a middleman between Narendra Modi and French company, Reddy alleged.
“For Narendra Modi, the Constitution is nothing. No one should question him. He is acting like France dictator Louis-14. The centre is dilly-dallying to constitute Joint House Committee as demanded by AICC president Rahul Gandhi to look into the Rafale deal. Let Finance Minister Arun Jaitley disclose the cost of Rafale fighter jets. When we question, the central government is questioning us. French Company is giving information to France. But Reliance Company and the Central government are hiding the information from the people of the country”, he alleged.
In Telangana, the Congress would come to power in the next Assembly election. The Congress would face the election in collective leadership. The Congress was strong in Telangana and they would win the hearts of the people again, he exuded confidence.
KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, MLA Byrathi Suresh, KPCC general secretary Ghorpade, spokesperson Suraj Hegde, KPCC media cell head Prof KE Radhakrishna and others were present.
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BJP's Suvendu urges Bengal Guv to order independent judicial inquiry into Messi event fiasco
Kolkata(PTI): Leader of Opposition in West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday wrote to Governor C V Ananda Bose, seeking an independent judicial inquiry into “administrative incompetence” and “public humiliation of citizens”at the Salt Lake Stadium here during an event featuring football legend Lionel Messi.
In his letter, Adhikari alleged that the stadium, built with public funds, was converted into a “private durbar” for political elites, resulting in humiliation and harassment of spectators who had purchased tickets.
"I write this communication with a profound sense of anguish, constitutional alarm, and moral urgency. What unfolded at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan was not merely an episode of administrative incompetence, it was a public humiliation of citizens, a grotesque exhibition of unrestrained political privilege, and a direct assault on the rule of law in the presence of thousands of witnesses," Adhikari asserted.
He claimed that football fans were denied basic amenities and dignified viewing due to unchecked VIP presence, obstruction of sightlines, and arbitrary restrictions.
Chaos unfolded at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday, after spectators resorted to vandalism on failing to catch a glimpse of Messi, alleging gross mismanagement by the organisers and obstruction of views by VIPs.
Police arrested the event’s prime organiser, Satadru Datta, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the constitution of a high-level inquiry committee to probe the incident.
Adhikari, in his letter, held the sports department, police authorities and the minister-in-charge of sports and youth affairs responsible, alleging that the situation was “enabled, if not orchestrated”, by the state administration.
He claimed that the conduct of the authorities reflected indifference to public accountability and misuse of power.
The senior BJP leader also took exception to the inquiry committee announced by the chief minister, contending that it lacked independence and credibility.
Adhikari said the panel is headed by Justice (Retd) Asim Ray, who currently holds a statutory post under the administrative control of the state government, and includes senior bureaucrats whose actions are under scrutiny.
"This committee is structurally compromised, legally infirm, and morally indefensible," he said in the letter to the governor.
Adhikari urged Bose to exercise his constitutional authority to order the formation of a truly independent inquiry committee.
He proposed that the committee be headed by a sitting judge of the Calcutta High Court, and assisted by persons of unimpeachable integrity with no institutional, administrative or political affiliation with the state government.
“The issue transcends football, politics, and personalities. It concerns the right of citizens to be treated with dignity, the obligation of the state to act as trustee of public interest, and the duty of constitutional authorities to intervene when the executive becomes a law unto itself,” Adhikari said.
Later, speaking to reporters, he accused the state government of mismanaging the situation at Salt Lake Stadium, and demanded the resignation of the CM.
Adhikari said all those responsible for the fiasco should be arrested, and spectators must be provided refunds.
He alleged that senior Trinamool Congress leaders and their associates crowded around Messi, leaving thousands of fans at the stadium deprived of catching a clear glimpse of the football star.
“This was a case of misuse of power at the cost of ordinary citizens. The chief minister must take moral responsibility, those responsible for the incident should be arrested, and every fan who was cheated must get a refund,” Adhikari asserted.
He added that public anger would not subside without accountability and corrective action.
