Cong rejects Jaitley's contention on Rafale, renews JPC demand

The war of words between the Congress and the government over Rafale deal intensified today as the opposition party rejected Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's contention that the government had nothing to do with the selection of partners for offset supplies and renewed its demand for a JPC probe into the matter.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to say that Jaitley's defence has brought the focus back on the Rafale deal, which he dubbed as a "robbery", and sought a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe.

"Mr Jaitley, thanks for bringing the nation's attention back to the 'GREAT RAFALE ROBBERY'. How about a Joint Parliamentary Committee to sort it out? Problem is, your 'Supreme Leader' is protecting 'his friend', so this may be inconvenient. Do check and revert in 24 hours. We're waiting," Gandhi said on Twitter.

At the AICC briefing, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari raised the party's demand for a JPC probe saying "if the government and prime minister have nothing to hide on this, why are they scared of a JPC probe:.

He also wondered if the finance minister was trying to "cover up one scandal with another scandal", and said all questions raised by Jaitley were primarily "a smoke screen to obfuscate the issue".

"We have been constantly and consistently demanding that a Joint Parliamentary Committee should be constituted to probe in the Rafale matter. If the Government has nothing to hide, if the Finance Minister or the Prime Minister feels that everything is above board, why are they scared of facing a Joint Parliamentary probe?
"Only the prime minister knew that the offset contracts would not be given to HAL and he violated the oath of secrecy taken on the position he holds," he said, adding "the Official Secrets Act says such things are not to be disclosed. How did Anil Ambani know that HAL will not get the contract and he set up his company 10 days before?"
He said under the UPA, offset was 50 per cent of the contract and HAL did not get the contract or transfer of technology. "The finance minister has not talked about it."