Rafale deal updates: BJP is compromising national security by protecting 'corrupt chowkidar', says Mayawati

Jayant Sinha says NDA government made Indian Army strong

After the Lok Sabha reassembled at 2 pm, Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, said that the NDA government had made the army strong and slammed the Opposition over “unfulfilled promises”. He said, “What happened to the bullet-proof vests that were being promised for 10 years? Let’s not even talk about Rafale. The NDA government made the army strong.”

CAG report on Rafale to be tabled in Parliament on Wednesday: Report

The much-awaited CAG report on Rafale, which is likely to be taken up during the Budget Session of Parliament, might be tabled on Wednesday , reports said. Wednesday will be the last day of the last scheduled session of the current Lok Sabha before general elections.

Centre’s application for correction of 15 Dec verdict still pending in SC

The Centre’s application for a correction in the Supreme Court’s 15 December verdict is yet to be heard by the apex court. Reports said that the Centre has not mentioned before the court for an early hearing of its application.

The government, in its application, claimed that the court had “misinterpreted” information submitted to it regarding the pricing details of the deal. The verdict had said, ““The pricing details have, however, been shared with the CAG, and the report of the CAG has been examined by the PAC. Only a redacted portion of the report was placed before Parliament and is in the public domain.”

However, the Congress party claimed that no such CAG report had been submitted to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). PAC chairman Mallikarjun Kharge had also demanded an apology from the government.

Congress says Rafale deal ‘unravelling’ faster than Centre expected

The Congress on Monday said the Rafale deal is “unravelling” faster than the government thought, with issues such as “parallel negotiations” by the PMO and changes in the standard defence procurement procedure coming to the fore.

Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram said the Rafale deal is unravelling faster than the government thought. “First, it was the loading of the India Specific Enhancement costs on 36 aircraft instead of 126 aircraft giving a bonanza to Dassault. Then it was the revelation that ‘parallel negotiations’ were being carried on by PMO undermining the efforts of the Indian Negotiating Team,” he said in a series of tweets .

Now it is revealed that crucial changes were made to the clauses in the standard Defence Procurement Procedure, he said. “No sovereign guarantee, no bank guarantee, no escrow account, yet a huge amount was paid as advance,”  Chidambaram alleged.

First media report claiming PMO’s interference in deal put Narendra Modi in a spot

The report, published by The Hindu on 8 February, was first quoted by Congress president Rahul Gandhi at a press conference  as he launched a renewed attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “It is an open-and-shut case,” declared the Congress chief, who has been alleging that the pricing of the fighter plane, under the deal for procuring 36 aircraft from French company Dassault Aviation, was changed at the behest Modi.

However, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said “periodical enquiries” by the PMO cannot be “construed as interference,” during the Zero Hour. She claimed that the report, which carried a part of a note duly signed by written by then defence deputy secretary (Air-II) SK Sharma, failed to publish Parrikar’s response.

“A newspaper published a file noting written by the defence secretary. If a newspaper publishes a noting, then the ethics of journalism will demand that the newspaper publishes the then defence minister’s reply as well,” Sitharaman said.

Congress’ Veerappa Moily accuses Narendra Modi of corruption

In the Lok Sabha on Monday, Congress leader Veerappa Moily raised the Rafale deal controversy and said that “people who deal with wholesale corruption” don’t worry about the “integrity of the country”. Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, “If anyone has to be held guilty in this deal, it is the prime minister and prime minister alone.”

He referred to the latest report by The Hindu and said, “It is clear why the Centre is not implementing the Lok Pal bill, because the prime minister might be the number one accused.”

Latest report claims NDA government waived anti-corruption clauses in deal

A report by The Hindu on Monday  claims that the NDA government let go off anti-corruption penalties and decided against paying off for the Rafale deal through escrow accounts just days before it was finalised via the inter-governmental agreement (IGA).

The report states that: “The €7.87-billion deal between India and France involved major and unprecedented concessions from the Indian government.” Reacting to the allegations made in the report, the Congress through its official Twitter handle directly asked the Prime Minister Office (PMO), “Who was it trying to shield?” by waiving the standard anti-corruption clauses. It further asked the PMO whom it was trying to benefit by paying for the deal “upfront in advance”.

‘Flogging a dead horse’, Nirmala Sitharaman slammed Opposition over media report on Rafale

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 8 February had hit back at Opposition after the Rafale deal issue rocked the Lok Sabha over a media report that alleged interference by the Prime Minister’s Office in the negotiations of the deal. Sitharaman called the report as “flogging a dead horse” and slammed the Opposition for feeding vested interests.

It is clear that Narendra Modi ‘facilitated loot’, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is currently in Uttar Pradesh accompanying Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on her maiden visit to the state as a Congress general secretary, referred to a report which said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “removed” the anti-corruption in the Rafale deal.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi : Every defence deal has an anti-corruption clause. The Hindu has reported that the PM removed the anti-corruption clause. It is clear that the PM facilitated loot. #Rafale pic.twitter.com/FnZEkELOPt

— ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019

CAG report may not be tabled in Parliament today, say reports

CNN-News18 reported that the anticipated CAG report on the Rafale deal may not be submitted in Parliament on Monday. Sources said that the CAG will send the report to President Ram Nath Kovind and the Finance Ministry before tabling it in the Parliament.

The report is likely to be tabled either on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Mallikarjun Kharge says Congress has expressed ’no confidence’ in CAG report

PAC chief and Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that the Congress has “no confidence” in the CAG report submitted to the Supreme Court. Kharge, speaking to reporters, said that the current BJP-led government had lied to the Supreme Court about the Rs 33,000 crore deal. 

The Rafale controversy blew out of proportions when The Hindu, in a report, published a note by the defence ministry in November 2015 objecting to interference from the Prime Minister’s Office.

TDP members protest in Parliament premises over special status for Andhra Pradesh

While Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is holding a day-long fast in the state bhavan in Delhi on Monday, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members also protested in the Parliament premises over their demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh.

Naidu will stage the ‘Dharma Porata Deeksha’ (a day-long protest for justice) in the national capital from 8 am to 8 pm on Monday.

Delhi: Telugu Desam Party MPs protest in Parliament premises over their demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/ZrKEbTqass

— ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019

Congress MPs demonstrate against ‘Operation Kamala’ in Parliament premises

As sessions in both Houses of the Parliament got underway, Congress MPs held placards in protest against the BJP’s alleged poaching of MLAs in Karnataka. 

Delhi: Congress MPs hold protest in Parliament premises against 'Operation Kamala' in Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/H8PPRuP3rS

— ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2019

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm 

In the Upper House, Opposition members registered objections over several issues. Two bills were introduced amid the ruckus, reports said. House is adjourned till 2 pm.

Lok Sabha adjourned till noon

Ruckus over ‘Operation Kamala’ in Karnataka and 13-Point Roster disrupts Lok Sabha after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan takes up Question Hour. According to reports, Congress MPs raised slogans in protest of BJP’s alleged attempt to poach Congress MLAs in Karnataka.

Responding to the Opposition’s questions over the 13-Point Roster, HRD minister Prakash Javadekar gave an assurance it will not be implemented. The government will file a review petition and if needed, we will bring an Ordinance, he said, according to reports.

Congress raises objections against CAG Rajeev Mehrishi’s involvement

On Sunday, alleging conflict of interest, the Congress on Sunday requested Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi to recuse himself from auditing the deal to purchase 36 Rafale fighter aircraft as he, as the then finance secretary, was part of the negotiations.

CAG to submit report on Rafale to Ram Nath Kovind today

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) is likely to submit a much-anticipated report on its audit of key military procurements in the last few years — including the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal — to President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday, reports said . It will also be sent to the Parliament.