Soon after the Supreme Court dismissed all petitions questioning the Rafale fighter jet deal, the Congress reiterated its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Rafale deal.
Continuing its “scam” charge, the Congress also launched a change.org petition urging people to express their support to the call for a JPC probe.
“The Supreme Court has clearly stated that it is outside their jurisdiction to probe into the #RafaleDeal. We continue our demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to investigate the #RafaleScam. Sign this petition to demand transparency,” wrote the Congress on its official Twitter handle while sharing the petition.
Speaking to reporters after the judgement, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said his party was never of the view that decisions on sensitive defence contracts can be decided by the Supreme Court.
“The verdict of the Supreme Court today is a validation of what the Congress party stated months ago – that SC is not the forum to decide such sensitive defence contracts,” he said.
Stressing for a JPC probe, Surjewala said, “Article 136 and 32 are not the forum to decide the issue, the pricing, the process, the sovereign guarantee and the corruption in the Rafale contract. Only forum and only media is a JPC which can probe the entire corruption in the Rafale deal.”
Congress leader Anand Sharma said the apex court had not commented on “many important aspects”.
“There is no reason for PM and BJP government to celebrate Supreme Court order which in itself is contradictory. Honourable SC has said it won’t be proper for it to go into details,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.
“Supreme Court has not commented on many important aspects. We continue to demand a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Rafale Deal. JPC has the right to summon all documents,” he said.
Quoting Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, ANI said that the main demand was for JPC “and it still stands”
“Main issue is pricing, which SC said it did not want to comment as it is not in its jurisdiction. Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) is speaking on an incomplete judgement given on a PIL,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Singh accused Congress president Rahul Gandhi of misleading the public to reap political dividends and malign India’s image. Speaking in the Lok Sabha today, he demanded that the Congress chief should apologise to the nation in Parliament.
“Congress president tried to mislead public for political benefit and maligned Indian image globally. He should apologise to the house and to the people of the country. He thought ‘Hum to doobe hain sanam tum ko bhi le doobenge’ (We will sink with you),” Singh said.
The Supreme Court on Friday junked petitions seeking court-monitored probe into the Rafale jet deal saying that there was “nothing questionable” in the decision-making process and the bench was not competent to go into the question of pricing and the choice of offset partner by Rafale manufacturer Dassault.
A three-Judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi pronounced its verdict on the petitions filed by Prashant Bhushan, Arun Shourie, former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, advocates ML Sharma and Vineet Dhanda, and AAP lawmaker in Parliament Sanjay Singh.
“Perception of individuals can’t be the basis for roving inquiry in sensitive issue of defence procurement,” the apex court said while pronouncing the verdict.
The bench said that it “sees no reason to intervene” in the defence deal as the four petitions sought a court-monitored probe into the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets in a fly-away condition from France’s Dassault Aviation.
“The court does not find substantial matter to interfere with issue of procurement, pricing and offset partner in Rafale jet deal,” the bench said.
Regarding pricing, the bench said it is not the court’s “job to deal with pricing details”.
Read More | ‘Not for court to scrutinise’: What the Supreme Court said in Rafale deal verdict
The court also said that it there was no reason for “interference in the choice of offset partner”, giving a shot in the arm to Anil Ambani who was targeted by the Congress over the deal.
In its judgement, the court observed that a country cannot afford to be under-prepared.