Commission of Inquiry will probe Rafale if Cong comes to power: Anand Sharma

The Congress today said if its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the Rafale aircraft deal is not met, the party will set up an inquiry commission if it comes to power.

The Rafale deal is the biggest scam of the century, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said here.

He said there was a hike' in the price of the fighter aircraft which India is buying from France, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to answer the many doubts that have been raised.

Why is the BJP government so afraid of setting up a JPC on the issue? the deputy leader of Congress in Rajya Sabha said.

If this is not done, we will constitute a National Commission of Inquiry on coming to power," Sharma added.

The apparent reference was to a probe under the Commissions of Inquiry Act.

He claimed the scam had global ramifications as there were five other bidders for the deal.

Sharma, who is a former commerce minister said the Rafale deal and demonetisation are the two biggest scams of the Modi government and will also be the main issues in the coming polls.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi recently demanded the setting up of a JPC into the Rafale deal under which India will buy 36 planes.

The party claims the aircraft will cost significantly more that what the previous Congress-led government was negotiating.

Sharma asked why public sector Hindustan Aeronautics had not got the related offset contract under the deal.

The Anil Ambai-led Reliance Group, which bagged the offset contract in a deal with Rafale manufacturers Dassault, has served a cease and desist' notice on Congress leaders, asking them not to make defamatory allegations.