Modi is guilty of fraud in Rafale deal: Jaipal Reddy

Hyderabad: AICC spokesman and former Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was guilty of fraud in the Rafale deal. Addressing the media, he said that the fraud in the deal had been proved as the price fixed by NDA government for the Rafale fighter jets did not include the bank guarantee.

He warned the Union government against any action on The Hindu daily which exposed the scam and said that the media too should have the immunity being enjoyed by Parliament and Constitution. He said that the threats to The Hindu and its chairman N Ram should be condemned by all. “If Ram is threatened, how a common journalist will have freedom,” he asked.

Jaipal Reddy said that the Opposition had cited the official documents many times in Parliament. When they were shown in Parliament, during the regime of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Speaker of Lok Sabha Mawalankar said that they were admissible if they were correct even if they were stolen.

He said that similar protection should be given to the press person. He condemned the statements of the Centre that documents were stolen, and they should not be taken into consideration. He said that Finance Minister Arun Jaitely said the price of Rafale fighters was nine per cent less than being negotiated by the UPA government and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman claimed 20 per cent cheaper.

However, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India revealed that the price was 2.5 per cent less than the one negotiated by the UPA government. Jaipal Reddy made it clear that there was no link between Balakote incident and completing the Rafale deal.

He said that Mirage and MIG fighters had effectively hit the Pakistan’s Balakote area. He said that the MIGs have shot down the F-16s of Pakistan because of their latest equipment and avionics. He said that AICC president Rahul Gandhi appreciated the success of Mirages in the Balakote strike.