Cong calls Rafale deal a saga of 'multi-crore conflict of interest'

The Congress today alleged that the Rafale deal was a saga of multi-crore "conflict of interest" and "quid proquo" and said if the government has nothing to hide in the contract it should agree to a joint parliamentary committee probe.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi cited a report to allege that two days before then French President Francois Hollande signed the deal with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for delivery of 36 Rafale aircraft in 2016, a company owned by a businessman in India, who received offset contracts of 1 lakh crore in the deal, signed a contract for producing a film with Hollande's partner and actor Julie Gayet.

"Another 'subplot' of this 'Magnum Opus Film'--Rafale Scam' has revealed newer questions of a possible 'Quid Pro Quo'.

"The nation now knows why Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not need a prior approval of cabinet committee of security to ratify his unilateral deal to buy 36 Rafale aircrafts in Paris, because a Film Agreement was already being signed behind the sets of the Magnum Opus' called Rafale Scam," he told reporters.

Singhvi asked who was Julie Gayet, as since 2015, the French media is agog with stories of how the actor/business women used her influence as the tenant of the 'Elysee palace' and as a partner of then French President Francois Hollande, two days before the French President was to travel to India for being the chief guest at the Republic Day function.

"On January 24, 2016, Reliance Entertainment and Julie Gayet's firm, Rouge International, got together and announced that they shall jointly produce a French film called Tout La-Haut' which ironically loosely translates in English to All the Top'.

"It is now public knowledge that the head of this group accompanied Shri Narendra Modi to Paris, France, when the 36 Rafale aircraft agreements were signed on April 10, 2015. This All the Top' agreement was a cherry on the cake on the murkier deals involving the entire sage of the Rafale Scam," he alleged.

Singhvi also hit out at Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, alleging that her "biggest lie" that no allotment of offset contract, was exposed by French Defence Minister, Florence Parly herself, as she met her on October 27, 2017, when the foundation of Reliance factory was laid in the afternoon in Nagpur.

"The Congress party reiterates Congress President Rahul Gandhi's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Probe in the multi crore saga of Conflict of Interest' and Quid Pro Quo' called Rafale Scam," he said.