Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Dec 18: Former central minister Pallam Raju demanded to set up a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to know the complete facts about the Rafale deal scam.
Addressing media here on Tuesday, December 18, Pallam Raju said, "The fraud of Rafale scam was perpetuated with sheer lies. Affidavit was submitted by law ministry to the court which contained lots of false information. During UPA government, in 2012, we signed a deal to have 126 aircraft and negotiated with HAL to manufacture 108 aircraft,”
Raju further said, "In the year 2015, Modi announced purchase of 36 aircrafts at thrice the price which would cost Rs 60,145 crore. While the UPA government came up with a deal of Rs 526.10 crore per aircraft, the cost of the same went up to Rs 1670.70 crore which means a loss of Rs 41,205 crores on 36 aircraft. Even the contract was transferred to inexperienced Reliance Company, replacing the most experienced HAL. Reliance declined to disclose the price. If the deal between two countries is transparent one, then what is the need to hide the price of the aircraft?"
"We have raised several issues with regards to the Rafale scam, which have remained unanswered till today. In 2018, defence ministry came up with a statement that no partners have been chosen, while in 2016 Reliance came up with a statement that it had Rs 30,000 crore deal. Why these lies?” questioned Pallam Raju.
Raju further said, "Congress has always pointed out that Supreme Court is not the appropriate forum to decide on the issue of corruption, pricing, specification and crony capitalism in the Rafale case. Supreme Court cannot summon and examine all the file notings, witnesses on oath, including questioning the Prime Minister and also defence ministry officials or accept other evidence. This can only be done by a joint parliamentary committee. So Congress party never went to Supreme
Court and constantly insisted on JPC probe. We demand to form a joint parliamentary committee to come out with the real facts of the Rafale scam."
Former MLA J R Lobo, Congress leaders Kallige Tharanath Shetty and others were present.