Rafale deal; CPI demands white paper on various issues

The CPI on Tuesday demanded that a white paper be brought out on various issues on the Rafale deal, including matters raised by department heads.

"Many new issues concerning the deal are frequently coming out," CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy told reporters here.

"Though allegations are there that the Prime Minister's Office intefered in a very naked fashion, that it unilaterally took decisions, many wrongs have taken place that Indian money has gone to foreign countries on a large scale... the government is refusing to answer in a proper way even today," he said.

He alleged that "shouts" rather than arguments have increased on the part of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

It is nothing but "insulting Parliament" to say in the House that it was a waste of time (to further discuss the issue), he claimed.

"She has no right to make such a comment in Parliament," he said.

On the Citizen (Amendment) Bill, the CPI leader demanded that it be withdrawn and the proposed amendment be rolled back.