The Congress party on Tuesday gave notices in Lok Sabha seeking permission for moving a breach of privilege motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman claiming they misled the House on the Rafale fighter jet deal during the debate on No Confidence Motion. In the letter sent to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, the Congress claimed that not disclosing the price details of the Rafale Deal was never in the confidentiality agreement signed in 2008 between the India and France.
“The 2008 Agreement does not state that ‘Commercial Costs’ of Procurement of Defence Deals cannot be revealed. Article 1 of the 2008 agreement clearly defined ‘classified information and material’ as “material which requires protection…in the interest of the national security…”. It is not specific to Rafale jet fighters and nowhere prohibits the disclosure of purchase price to the Parliament,” reads the letter signed by Congress leader Mallikarjun Khaghre.
@INCIndia gives notices in Lok Sabha seeking permission for moving breach of privilege motions against Prime Minister @narendramodi and Defence Minister @nsitharaman claiming they misled the House on the Rafale fighter jet deal. @IndianExpress
The letter of notice also reads, “The Prime Minister’s claim on transparency in the agreement is factually incorrect, untrue and deliberately made with the intention to mislead the house.”
Earlier on Monday, Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Randeep Singh Surjewala and A K Antony said at a press meet in Parliament that a 2008 pact between India and France on the protection of classified information and material in the field of defence does not mention that commercial cost of procurement cannot be revealed.
The Congress pointed out that MoS, Defence, Subhash Bhamre had twice told Parliament — in November 2016 and in March this year — in written replies that the “cost of each Rafale aircraft is approximately Rs 670 crore.”
Source: Indian express
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