BJP bangs breach of privilege notice against Rahul Gandhi for Rafale's deception

 

 

New Delhi, December 18: The BJP members yesterday moved a notice of breach of privilege against the Congress President Rahul Gandhi in the Loksabha. BJP MPs Anurag Thakur, Nishikant Dubey and Sanjay Jaiswal urged to sort action against Rahul Gandhi over his speech during the debate on the no confidence motion against the Narendra Modi led Government in Parliament’s Monsoon Session.

 

In the notice against the Congress leader the BJP MP said, “Rahul Gandhi misled the house in his speech.” Rahul Gandhi had said that the UPA Government had agreed to buy the aircraft at Rs. 520 crore per unit but when the BJP led Government signed the deal, the amount was raised to Rs. 1600 crore per unit. The BJP Government had claimed that the comparative pricing mentioned by Gandhi was entirely untrue alleging, "The above statement is entirely untrue. We categorically assert that the price comparison given by Rahul Gandhi is a figment of imagination, incorrect and utter falsehood. It was an attempt to mislead the House."

 

Reproducing the court order and noting that the government had submitted a comparative chart of prices in a sealed cover to it, the members said, “For reasons of national security, the Government of India has not given out the exact details but has already indicated that the price of the basic aircraft being purchased now as per the 2016 agreement is 9% cheaper and the price of the weaponised aircraft is 20% cheaper compared to the price being negotiated by the UPA.”

 

“A comparative chart of these prices was submitted by the Government of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in sealed cover. After perusing the prices as claimed by the Government, the Court noted the submission of the Government that there is a commercial advantage in the prices negotiated in the 2016 deal by NDA Government. The court dismissed the challenge on basis of higher price offer as per the 2007 offer.”, they added.

 

However, Congress member Sunil Jakhar against breach of privilege and ethics said, “It has become clear that to defend its controversial stand on the pricing details and guidelines, the government presented wrong information to the apex court. The basis of the SC order on the Rafale deal was a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, which is non-existent and not shared with the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.”

 

The notice stated, “Not only are figures factually false, they fail to take into consideration the impact of the escalation clause contained in the 2007 offer. Further, he falsely attempts to compare an ordinary aircraft, a flying instrument with a weaponised aircraft. Obviously, the cost of the weaponry will be much higher.”

 

The BJP Government has however, intensified its existing robust attack on Gandhi following the Supreme Court verdict dismissing petitions seeking a probe into alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal. The apex court had said there is no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 fighter jets from France.

 

The notice may be sent to the Privilege Committee for the next course of action if the Loksabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan decides to take up.