From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, May 1: In a bid to pay back the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah, both of whom had accused the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government as ‘most corrupt and 10% commission rule’, the Congress party has targeted the Modi regime by demanding a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court into the NDA regime’s decision to purchase 36 Rafale Fighter Jets from France.

While Amit Shah is already touring the state, Prime Minister Modi is embarking on his electioneering in the State from Tuesday, AICC Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala and Congress secretary Amit Deshmukh demanded that the probe by the sitting Supreme Court judge must cover all aspects of the Rafale Fighter Jets purchase deal including true facts of costs and other aspects.

Addressing a news conference at the KPCC office on Monday, AICC Surjewala and Deshmukh alleged that Modi and his government looted the nation’s exchequer Rs 41,200 crore by signing an agreement with France’s firm for a whopping Euro 7.5 billion.

Accusing the Modi government of indulging in ‘operation cover-up’, the Congress leaders said only a probe by the Supreme Court judge would reveal true facts behind the billion rupee deal.

Surjewala also said refusal to invest Rs 36,000 crore to the Bengaluru-based HAL, the deal with Dassault Aviation smacked of lack of transparency.

Each Rafale fighter jet costs Rs 1670 crore, Surjewala said pointing out that the UPA signed the pact with the firm for supplying an aircraft for Rs 526 crore.

"What are the compelling reasons and justification for this sudden escalation in the purchase cost,’’ Surjewala asked.

Both Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman have been ‘telling lies’ on the deal and refrained from divulging details of deal and “this itself raises questions on the intent and motive of the Modi government” Surjewala claimed.

Instead incorporating HAL, the Modi government permitted Reliance Aerostructure Limited to incorporate a 51:49 joint venture with Dassault Aviation.

The Congress leaders demanded answers from the prime minister and the defence minister on questions raised on the alleged scam in the deal.

The prime minister, who has been recklessly hurling corruption charges and even attacking the Siddaramaiah regime as ‘10% Commission government’ without producing even a shred of evidence and the defence minister, who is a Rajya Sabha MP from the State, must provide convincing answers as why Bengaluru-based Central public sector undertaking HAL was denied the contract, Surjewala said and Modi and Seetharaman owe an explanation to the people of Karnataka.

The Congress leader alleged that the Defence Procurement Procedure and the norm for prior clearance by the Cabinet Committee on Security have been wantonly flouted and the condition for transfer of technology to HAL flagrantly violated by the Modi government.