Modi govt gets clean chit from SC over Rafale deal, Rajnath asks Rahul Gandhi to apologise to the nation

New Delhi: Shortly after the Supreme Court cleared the Narendra Modi government in the Rafale fighter jet deal, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to apologise to the nation for misleading it over the issue. Singh said in the Lok Sabha that the Congress chief had attempted to derive political benefit from the deal.

It may be noted that Rahul Gandhi has been leading a relentless campaign against the deal to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation in fly-away condition, alleging corruption in the government-to-government deal.

“Congress president (Rahul Gandhi) tried to mislead the public for political benefit, and maligned India’s image globally. He should apologise to the House (Parliament) and to the people of the country. He thought 'hum to doobe hain sanam tum ko bhi le doobenge',” Rajnath said before MPs.

Earlier, speaking outside the Parliament, Rajnath said that the matter was crystal clear from the beginning and “we have been saying that the allegations levelled by the Congress were baseless and to gain political mileage”.

Anil Ambani, whose Reliance Defence – an offset partner in the deal- was also the target of Rahul Gandhi’s campaign, also issued a statement and said, “Welcome the judgment of Hon'ble Supreme Court



today summarily dismissing PILs filed on Rafale contracts, and conclusively establishing complete falsity of wild, baseless and politically-motivated allegations levelled against Reliance Group and me personally.”

The Supreme Court earlier today dismissed all the petitions that had sought a court-monitored CBI investigation into the multi-billion contract over alleged irregularities. Giving a clean chit to the Narendra Modi government over the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation, the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it found no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the government-to-government deal.

The court further said on the issue of offset partner that it found no substantial proof of commercial favouritism to any private player.

The bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, noted that India was in need of 4th and 5th generation fighter aircraft and cannot continue to remain without these. The CJI ruled out any bid to interfere in the procurement process and said it was not for the courts to deal with the comparative details of the pricing.

The court further noted that it cannot force the government to procure either 126 or 36 fighter jets, saying it was within the rights of the government to take a call on this.