Rafale Deal ‘Globalised Corruption’: Rahul Slams PM, Ambani Again
Rahul Gandhi tweeted that the PM Modi must tell Anil Ambani that there is a “big problem” in France.
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Congress President Rahul Gandhi mounted an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, in connection with the Rafale fighter jets deal, by calling it “globalised corruption.”
Referring to an Indian Express report, the Gandhi scion, on Friday, 31 August, tweeted that the Prime Minister should tell Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani that there is a “big problem” in France. With this tweet, he also unleashed a fresh attack on the junior Ambani brother.
WHY IT MATTERS
The report, published on 31 August 2018, pointed that Rafale deal talks were underway when Anil Ambani’s Reliance Entertainment entered into a deal to jointly produce a film for the then French President Francois Hollande’s partner and actor Julie Gayet.
On 24 January 2016, Reliance Entertainment signed the film production deal with Rouge International, a firm owned by Hollande’s partner Julie Gayet.
Two days later, on 26 January 2016, Prime Minister Modi signed the Rafale deal with Hollande.
THE BIG
On 23 September 2016, a deal was signed between the defence ministries of the two countries with a clause of 50 percent offset obligations.
According to the newspaper, France was to invest 50 percent of the total order cost in local contracts in India. This was reportedly worth Rs 30,000 crore.
Just ten days after the deal was signed between the two foreign ministries, on 3 October 2016, Dassault Aviation and Reliance announced a Joint Venture for key player of offset, reported The Indian Express.
Dassault Aviation is the French manufacturer of Rafale jets.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
On 27 October 2017, the Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd (DRAL)in Nagpur, in the presence of French Defence Minister Florence Parly and Maharashtra PM Devendra Fadnavis.
In 10 December 2017, Gayet’s film, produced by Reliance Entertainment hits the screens.
BACKGROUND
Anil Ambani had earlier written to Gandhi on the ongoing Rafale jet deal, stating that his party was “misinformed, misdirected and misled” by “malicious vested interests and corporate rivals” on the issue. The letter was reportedly written earlier in August.
The younger Ambani tycoon, who had first written to Gandhi on the issue in December, again wrote saying not a single component worth a single rupee is to be manufactured by his group. He said that all 36 Rafale jets that India was buying would be manufactured from France.
Gandhi has been attacking the government for inking the deal at a much higher price than the one the previous UPA regime had negotiated.
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