Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.S. Alagiri sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's response to the latest allegations of pay off to middlemen in the Rafale jets deal .
Mr Modi has been insisting that there was no scam in the purchase of Rafale jets from France. The Congress leader said Mr Modi cannot remain silent on the issue anymore after a revelation in a French media portal that Dassault Aviation, the aircraft manufacturer, had paid around ₹8.6 crore to a middleman.
“Prime Minister’s statement that there was no corruption in the purchase of Rafale jets is contrary to the truth. Just like how Mr. Modi keeps silent on all issues, he cannot be silent on this issue as he is connected with it and must answer the charges”, Mr. Alagiri said.
The TNCC president said former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had already raised the issue of corruption in the deal, for which proof has now come out in the open.
“There is now proof that ₹8.62 crore was paid to a middleman as a bribe," he claimed. "There must be an independent inquiry into the matter as this concerns national security,” he said.
Mr. Alagiri demanded that Dassault Aviation be banned from doing business with India and an FIR be filed against the company and legal proceedings initiated. The BJP government at the Centre must also seek compensation from the aviation company, he said.