Claiming that the Centre’s Rafale defence deal with France was not only the “the largest defence scam” in the country but also one in which national security had been severely compromised, noted advocate Prashant Bhushan on Sunday urged the Narendra Modi government to agree to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the alleged scam.
In the wake of former French president Francois Hollande’s statement on the deal, Mr. Bhushan, addressing the media, alleged: “You [the Centre] have severely compromised national security. You have broken the back of the Indian Air Force. You have looted the public exchequer. You are trying to defame the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.”
Comparing the statements made by Mr Hollande with that of the position of the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Mr. Bhushan claimed the government was also forcing the personnel of the Air Force “to lie” over the issue.
He went on to claim that the aircraft need of the Air Force was originally 126 combat aircraft but it was reduced to 36 by the government “without the knowledge and consent of Defence Minister.” The deal, he claimed was aimed at benefitting Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Defence, a new company.
Mr. Bhushan dismissed as “false and ridiculous” the contention of Ms Sitharaman that the State-owned HAL did not have the technical expertise to build the aircraft. He charged that without the written approval of the Defence Minister any offset company deal could not be approved, as per the rules framed by the none other than the BJP government.
Since the government in France too did not have an objection to make public the details of the Rafale deal, the Centre should “put all papers on the table,” he added.
Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of Arappor Iyakkam was present.
Later addressing a public meeting on ‘Ennanga Saar Unga Sattam?’ (What is your law sir?) organised by Arappor Iyakkam at Mylai Mangolai, Mr. Bhushan accused Ms. Sitharaman of being “illiterate about defence matters”.
He said it has become essential for all people in the country to rise up again in the same way as the Lokpal movement.
He alleged that the Modi government was bent on weakening the Right to Information Act and alleged that “it has made the Prevention of Corruption Act into Promotion of Corruption Act”.
The meeting was organised calling for citizen’s action to create awareness among the public on ways to curb corruption. Mr Venkatesan raised questions about how relatives of ministers in the Tamil Nadu government were repeatedly getting various contracts. “The government should put out details of all tenders online, and who bid for them and who won the contracts,” Mr. Venkatesan said.
Social activist Aruna Roy said the country needed another massive protest to protect the Right to Information Act. She said the government has destroyed the law and there needed to be a large movement to retrieve it.
The speakers unveiled a draft anti-corruption manifesto compiled by Arappor Iyakkam that will be published on its website and the public can provide their feedback for the next one month. Once finalised, Arappor Iyakkam will take the manifesto to all political parties in Tamil Nadu and national parties and pressure them to include it in their manifesto.
