Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday, 9 February, launched a fresh attack on Defence Minister Nirmala Sithraman and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over the Rafale deal.
Gandhi took to Twitter to post pictures of three parliamentary replies by the government over defence purchases during the United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) regime.
Gandhi posted the pictures in response to Jaitley’s allegations that the UPA had never released prices of defence purchases. In his tweet, he urged Sitharaman to tell the country the cost of each Rafale jet.
Stepping up its offensive on the Rafale deal, the Congress also posed a set of questions to the government, asking it to disclose the "purchase price" of each fighter aircraft and details of how the agreement was reached, reported PTI.
Congress’ communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala also accused the government of "doublespeak" and "sacrificing" national interests. Earlier in the day, Surjewala put out a similar tweet with a picture of a letter from the UPA regime disclosing the price of one of the defence purchases.
https://twitter.com/rssurjewala/status/961899553006825472
"As the Narendra Modi government stumbles and fumbles, hides and conceals, indulges in doublespeak, sacrifices national interest and refuses to answer on loss to public exchequer, India will continue to demand answers," he told reporters, PTI reported.
He listed a series of questions for the government, including the price, the secrecy surrounding the deal, and the government's silence on the issue. Surjewala alleged that prior permission of the Cabinet Committee on Security was not taken.
According to Surjewala, while Sitharaman refused to disclose the price on the grounds of a "secrecy agreement," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley did not do so for reasons of "national security."
Isn’t a full disclosure of price of Rafale aircrafts in national interest? Why are two ministers of the government speaking in two different voices? Who are they trying to shield? Why is the price of aircrafts shrouded in secrecy and cover-up?Randeep Surjewala to PTI
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