Congress will raise the Rafale jet deal issue with the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on Wednesday. The Congress has alleged massive corruption in the deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France's Dassault Aviation. It has alleged that the Modi government has caused a loss of over Rs 41,000 crore to the exchequer by paying a higher price for the aircraft than what was negotiated by the UPA.
Earlier in the day, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the CAG and CVC are bounden by their constitutional duty to look at the entire deal and all its papers - whether or not somebody moves them.
"Congress Party at an appropriate time also intends to move an appropriate petition before CVC and CAG to expeditiously and quickly adhere to their constitutional duties," he said.
The Congress has asked why the government was not setting up a joint parliamentary committee to probe the fighter jet deal.
Former defence minister AK Antony alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “gravely compromising national security and defence preparedness" by purchasing only 36 Rafale fighter jets from France.
Antony pointed out that the original requirement was of 126 fighter aircraft that the IAF had communicated to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government way back in 2000.
He also accused Modi government of jeopardising national security by unilaterally ordering only 36 Rafale jets.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, however, rejected the demand saying all the details on it have already been placed before Parliament.
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