Rahul vs Modi: Congress and BJP fight over Rafale deal in Lok Sabha

Former Defence Minister AK Antony rubbishes Centre's claim of secrecy clause in the deal while Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad terms Rahul Gandhi's allegations "falsehood".

The Congress party on Monday fielded former defence minister A K Antony in the Lok Sabha to demand the Narendra Modi government make public the price at which Rafale fighter jets are being purchased.

Countering Antony’s charges, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad termed it a “collective singing of falsehood” to defend Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Prasad said Gandhi was “prima facie guilty of breach of privilege for misleading” the Lok Sabha.

The Congress chief had raised the issue of the price of Rafale in the Lok Sabha on Friday, during the debate on the no-confidence motion against the government. In the discussion, Prime Minister (PM) had termed Rahul’s accusations “childish”. Some of the members of parliament (MPs) of the BJP have also moved a privilege motion against the Congress chief.

On Monday, the Congress accused the PM and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of “lying” in Parliament on the Rafale deal. The party said there was no secrecy clause in the 2008 Indo-French pact. The Centre, however, has argued that the agreement binds the government from revealing price details. The Congress might even move a privilege motion against the PM and Sitharaman for “misleading” the Lok Sabha.

A K Antony, Congress’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma and party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala released a copy of the confidential agreement, which the UPA government had signed with France in January 2008, to drive home the point that it does not restrict India from revealing the price details of the Rafale jets.

After Rahul’s remarks on the floor of the House on Friday, the French foreign ministry said they had signed a security pact with India in 2008 which legally binds the two countries to protect classified information that could impact security and operational capabilities of defence equipment. However, it didn’t specifically mention that the clause also barred India from revealing the price details.

Antony on Monday said the government’s claim that a secrecy clause in the pact was forcing it to not reveal price details of the deal was “totally wrong”. He said the government could hide the price details as the deal has to be scrutinised by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) as well as Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Sharma said the French President Emmanuel Macron had said France has no objection, no reservation and no hesitation to reveal the price or to make it public. The Congress claimed that the price of a aircraft inked by the NDA came to Rs 16 billion as against the Rs 5.2 billion negotiated during the UPA rule.

Prasad furnished replies made in Parliament by then UPA government on defence purchases and other issues in which its defence minister, first Pranab Mukherjee and then A K Antony, had declined to share price details and other information on the ground of national security. 

“The stand of the Congress on the Rafale deal is clearly not in the interest of the country,” he said. 

Prasad said Rahul’s charges were “baseless, mischievous and also irresponsible.”

According to the minister, the base price of each aircraft negotiated by the government with France is €91.75 million, 9 per cent less than the €100.85 million, the UPA government had decided. 

“As these sensitive matters overlap the price details, the previous government on many earlier occasions did not disclose them in the the House in public interest. This includes, import of weapons from the USA and import of defence items and missiles from Israel,” Prasad said.

To Congress allegations that a private sector company is being benefitted at the expense of Hindustan public sector Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), Prasad said the government-run HAL would now produce 123 light combat aircrafts, which will be completely indigenous, as he rejected the Congress’ charge that the unit was denied the contract.

IN PARLIAMENT: Bills introduced

• Commercial courts, commercial division and commercial appellate division of high courts (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha (replaces an ordinance)

• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (second amendment) Bill, 2018 in LS (replaces an ordinance)

• The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (amendment) Bill

• National Sports University Bill

• Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill

BILLS PASSED

• LS passes Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Act for quick prosecution in cheque bounce cases

• RS passes Specific Relief (Amendment) Bill (already  passed by the LS)

• LS passes a Bill to amend National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) Act

BILLS UNDER DISCUSSION

• RS takes up discussion on Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill (already passed by the LS)

• In RS, Opposition demands a bill to amend the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains Act be sent 
• to a select committee