TMC MP accuses Modi of hiding behind Jaitley in Rafale debate

TMC MP Saugata Roy Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not facing debate in Lok Sabha on Rafale deal and hiding behind Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

"Prime Minister Modi is like Meghnad in Ramayana. He is hiding behind Jaitley. The Prime Minister should have the courage to face Parliament," Roy said during a short duration discussion on Rafale deal in the lower house.

Jaitley strongly defended the Government on the Rafale deal during discussion in the House.

Seeking a JPC probe on the deal, Roy sought to know why Reliance Defence and Aerospace was chosen as an offset partner in the deal.

He charged that the money trail from Rafale deal would go to Reliance Defence and Aerospace.

He asked the Government to explan why a private company, which was incorporated 20 days before the deal was signed, was chosen as an offset partner instead of a 70 year old public sector company HAL which employs thousands of people.

Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo (BJD) said the pricing seems to be available everywhere except coming from the officials of the defence ministry.

Asserting that the biggest loss to India has been lack of technology transfer, he demanded the government come out with a "white paper as to why the technology transfer was not done".

Jayadev Galla (TDP) stated that HAL which was relevant in 2014 became irrelevant in 2018 and requested the defence minister to explain this.

He sought to know whether the file of national security was lying in the bedroom of Goa Chief Minister.

Questioning as to how the new Rafale deal was better than the old deal, Galla said it was unfortunate that the Prime Minister was not responding directly.

He said Modi was not present for discussion and he had no respect for Parliament.

The member demanded a JPC on the deal.

Mohammed Salim (CPI-M) said the government was not working for self reliance but for self and Reliance.

Dhananjay Mahadik (NCP) also demanded the constitution of JPC.