Doubt over the Rafale deal
The questions about the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets persists
despite a clean chit of sorts from the Supreme Court. In comparison to the bid
under the UPA there was an overall escalation in the price of each jet in the
2016 deal struck by the Modi government. The bare-bones aircraft was spread
over 36 jets as opposed to the original 126.
Why did the government drop, or fail to secure, the follow-on provision,
which would have given India the option to purchase more Rafales, and reduce
the per-aircraft price? The information that could impact the aircraft’s
operational capability or jeopardise national security shouldn’t be shared, but
the government has been less than willing to come forward to address the issue
of pricing. Instead it has been taking cover under the secrecy clause.
Naturally, the general presumption will be that it has something to hide.
The government on its part has already sent the Pricing details Brochure
to the CAG, which upon full auditing will send it to the Public accounts
Committee of the Parliament, so the suggestion that a JPC or Private Briefing
by the government to bury the hatchet is infructuous because:- 1. First priority
of any govt should be to keep some security matters undisclosed in the interest
of the Nation. 2. As far as opposition is concerned. They are known best to
play blame game politics and corruption even at the cost of our Nation. 3.
Starting with 36 we will surely be moving towards many 126, so the question
arising out of the number of aircrafts should be put to rest. 4. At the time of
general elections the opposition is in tight corner to use any opportunity to
defame the present government. 5. Majority means majority, as quoted 4:3 above,
so there is no need to question it. 6. At first the opposition targeted for
corruption, then pricing, and now the route of deal.
It seems that the Modi government prudently settled at at the optimum
number of 36 jets by striking a balanced between financial constraints and our
security needs.
Rafale aircrafts deal was unduly delayed. The seeds of corruption are to be found in
such delay. The aircrafts deal could not be finalized by UPA government. How a
probe by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) can find out reasons for delay
or how secrecy clause is misused by the govt. in power? Congress and other
opposition parties are least concerned about finding out the truth or about
ending corruption in such deals. Congress
and other parties should demonstrate political will to end corruption in all
defence deals. Reality is that making allegations of corruption against the NDA
government and PM Narendra Modi is a just a poll gimmick. These parties want to
be voted to power.
In the deal by UPA there was no fully-equipped-combat-aircraft to compare
its price with the present 36 fully-equipped-combat-aircrafts. The matter is
very simple. Calculate the total cost of all the bare-bone-aircrafts negotiated
by UPA along with escalations and calculate the total cost of the present ones
with all their adds-on if universally known as claimed.
Doubts and questions on price deal are genuine and a clear white report
of the deal from UPA period till the NDA regime must appearbefore the JPC with
facts and figures to clear the air.
The thing is every defence deal involves corruption, only the degree and
the recipients change. The bogey of national security silences those who find
something is fishy about a deal. They are called traitors. But don’t forget
that peace with neighbours is the cheapest and everlasting defence. Defence
budget eats into the social sector. Poverty alleviation remains a distant
dream.
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