CAG report on Rafale says NDA deal 2.86% cheaper than UPA's: Jaitley asks how democracy can punish those who consistently lie

Even as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the explosive 36 Rafale fighter jets deal was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday amid a sparring contest between the Congress and the government over the issue, Union minister Arun Jaitley immediately took to Twitter to slam Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s charges of corruption against the NDA government.

Jaitley pointed at how “only the dynast” cannot be right in its allegations.

It cannot be that the Supreme Court is wrong, the CAG is wrong and only the dynast is right.

— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 13, 2019

The CAG report looks at 11 deals (five from the UPA era and six from the NDA) and all of which were signed between 2012 to 2017. In the Rafale deal signed in 2016, the country’s top auditor said that compared to the 126 aircraft deal of the UPA, India managed to save 2.86 percent  of the money for the India-Specific Enhancements in the 36 Rafale contract signed by the Narendra Modi government. To this, Jaitley tweeted that “the truth shall prevail”.

Satyameva Jayate” – the truth shall prevail. The CAG Report on Rafale reaffirms the dictum.

— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 13, 2019

He went on to say:

2016 vs. 2007 terms – Lower price, faster delivery, better maintenance, lower escalation.

— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 13, 2019

The Union minister went on to add another tweet saying “lies of mahajhootbandhan have been exposed” with CAG’s report.

The lies of ‘Mahajhootbandhan’ stand exposed by the CAG Report.

— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 13, 2019

And quickly added:

How does democracy punish those who consistently lied to the nation?

— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 13, 2019

The CAG report has become a bitter point of confrontation between the Centre and the Opposition parties, with the Congress even saying that Rajiv Mehrishi, the current CAG, was part of the decision-making process for the Rafale deal. Mehrishi was the finance secretary when the Rafale deal was signed.