[This ruse of "national security" is clearly a sudden turn around by those whose leader, who also happens to be the incumbent Prime Minister of India, cooked up a charge of treason against his predecessor and the previous Vice President of the country, just to garner some extra votes in the poll for a mid-sized state. (Ref.: <https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/946038581306441728/video/1>.)
As recently as on the 17th of last November, the Defence Minister, and no less, in a specially convened press conference to refute the charge of corruption and collusion with Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence Limited at the cost of the public sector HAL, had committed to share "all the figures". There was no rider, on "national security" or whatever. (Ref.: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0qKRCG0IPM> and < https://scroll.in/video/867754/watch-sitharaman-in-2017-saying-difference-between-congress-and-nda-on-rafale-is-transparency >.) Even earlier, Subhash Bhamre, junior minister for Defence, had in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on November 18, 2016, stated, "The cost of each Rafale aircraft is approximately Rs 670 crore and all the aircraft will be delivered by April 2022." There was no talk of any rider. (Ref.: < https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/government-says-rafale-cost-secret-but-had-disclosed-it-in-2016/articleshow/62812165.cms >.) In fact, this bogey had already, rather accurately, been prefigured by Rahul Gandhi in his tweet, on Feb. 6: <<Action Points 1.Informing Parliament about the price is a national security threat 2.Brand all who ask, Anti National>> (Ref.: <https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/960828699993047042>. Also relevant: <<Q. Why did the Raksha Mantri change her stance from : I will reveal the price of the RAFALE planes in Nov 2017 to the price is a state secret in Feb 2018 A. Corruption B. To protect Modiji C. To protect Modiji's friend D. All of above>> on Feb. 8, at <https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/961587793146335233>. Also watch: 'Sitharaman & Surjewala Duel in Rafale Aircraft Deal Face-Off | The Quint' at <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhqJyDDvy3w>.) ***Consequently, it'd be too difficult for a dispassionate observer not to agree with Shekhar Gupta, no Congress fan, or even a BJP opponent, by any stretch: <<Even as a Rafale deal backer I’m afraid this “secrecy clause” excuse just wouldn’t wash. Govt is digging a hole for itself & for IAF here. Imagine if another govt said this & BJP was in oppn>> (Ref.: <https://twitter.com/ShekharGupta/status/960551789773832194>.)*** And, the issue is rather unlikely to just evaporate into thin air. (For Jay amit Shah, one may recall 'The Golden Touch of Jay Amit Shah' at <>.)] I/III. https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/961930076668473344/photo/1 Office of RGVerified account @OfficeOfRG Follow Follow @OfficeOfRG More Dear Mr Jaitlie, You said the UPA never released prices of Defence purchases? To nail your lie, here are 3 Parliamentary replies by the UPA with full transparency on pricing. Now do ask our Raksha Mantri to tell India how much each RAFALE jet cost. #DealMeinKuchKalaHai [Facsimile] 3:49 AM - 9 Feb 2018 9,360 Retweets 18,406 Likes Ibrahim BahelimElisha AmolikBali Ram ShahManoj maggoVijay GuptaAmarsinh RajputCA GOURI🇬🇭B.M.Harief 2,561 replies 9,360 retweets 18,406 likes Reply 2.6K Retweet 9.4K Like 18K New conversation Sachin Krishna @sachinkrish 18h18 hours ago More Replying to @OfficeOfRG Arun Jaitlie, Sitharaman, Modi needs to answer these 6 questions asked by Congress. Nation wants to know, Period! #RafaleChorModi This media may contain sensitive material. Learn more View 33 replies 102 retweets 284 likes Reply 33 Retweet 102 Like 284 Dr Luttapi @Mayavi101 17h17 hours ago More Why was the CCS approval not taken before handing over the deal to Reliance ? Who is running the country ? #DealMeinKuchKalaHai #RafaleChorModi [Screenshot] 18 replies 78 retweets 178 likes Reply 18 Retweet 78 Like 178 Snipped II/III. https://thewire.in/222727/six-questions-congress-challenges-jaitlie-rafale-deal/ With Six Questions, Congress Challenges ‘Jaitlie’ on Rafale Deal BY THE WIRE STAFF ON 10/02/2018 The opposition party says the lack of transparency over pricing is proof the Modi government struck a more expensive deal than the UPA had. Clockwise fro bottom right: Finance minister Arun Jaitley, Congress president Rahul Gandhi; file photo of Rafale fighter jet. Credit: PTI New Delhi: Stepping up its offensive on the Rafale deal – which it cites as an example of ‘crony capitalism’ under Narendra Modi – the Congress on Friday posed a set of six questions, asking the BJP-led NDA government to disclose the “purchase price” of each fighter aircraft and details of how the agreement was reached. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also accused the government of “doublespeak” and “sacrificing” national interests. He cited instances during the previous UPA government when details of various defence deals were made public and placed before Parliament – that of the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, the Sukhoi-30 purchase, and the refurbishment of fighter jets like the Mirage. “As the Modi government stumbles and fumbles, hides and conceals, indulges in doublespeak, sacrifices national interest and refuses to answer on loss to public exchequer, India will continue to demand answers,” Surjewala told reporters. Separately, Congress president Rahul Gandhi taunted finance minister Arun ‘Jaitlie’ on Twitter on Friday, citing three replies to parliamentary questions during the Manmohan Singh government’s tenure when price information for major defence deals was provided to parliament. [View image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on Twitter] Office of RG ✔ @OfficeOfRG Dear Mr Jaitlie, You said the UPA never released prices of Defence purchases? To nail your lie, here are 3 Parliamentary replies by the UPA with full transparency on pricing. Now do ask our Raksha Mantri to tell India how much each RAFALE jet cost.#DealMeinKuchKalaHai 17:19 - 9 Feb 2018 18.3K 11.9K people are talking about this Twitter Ads information and privacy Jaitley had told parliament on Thursday that the UPA government too had chosen to withhold price information because of national security considerations. At Friday’s press briefing, Surjewala listed a series of questions for the government, including on the price, the secrecy surrounding the deal, the government’s silence on the issue and alleging that prior permission of the Cabinet Committee on Security was not taken. “What is the price per aircraft of the 36 Rafale aircrafts being purchased by the Modi government? Did Raksha Mantri Nirmala Sitharaman not agree to share the price of Rafale aircrafts in a press conference in Raksha Bhawan on November 17, 2017? Why are PM, RM & FM hiding the ‘purchase price’?” he asked. According to Surjewala, while Sitharaman refused to disclose the price on grounds of a “secrecy agreement”, finance minister Arun Jaitley did not do so for reasons of “national security”. “Isn’t a full disclosure of the price of the Rafale aircraft in the national interest? Why are two ministers of the government speaking in two different voices? Who are they trying to shield? Why is the price of the aircraft shrouded in secrecy and cover-up?” he asked. Surjewala wanted to know whether the per aircraft price of Rafale, according to international bids opened on December 12, 2012, comes to USD 80.95 million (Rs 526.1 crore) as against the Modi government’s per aircraft negotiated price of USD 241.66 Million (Rs.1,570.8 crore), as per current exchange rates. He also asked whether Qatar had purchased 12 Rafale fighter jets in November 2017 for USD 108.33 million per aircraft (Rs 694.80 crore), according to current exchange rates. “If this is correct, why has the Modi government paid such an astronomically higher price for the Rafale aircrafts?” According to Surjewala, Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon aircrafts were found equal on all technical requirements by the Indian Air Force. Did the Eurofighter Typhoon give a written offer to then defence minister Arun Jaitley on July 4, 2014, offering to reduce prices by 20%, he asked. “Why did Prime Minister Modi and defence minister then not ask both the companies to submit fresh bids through the ‘inter-governmental agreement route’ so as to get the lowest price in favour of India’s public exchequer?” “Why was no prior permission of the Cabinet Committee on Security taken by PM Modi? Why was the defence procurement procedure violated with impunity? Why are the prime minister, defence minister and finance minister completely silent on this issue?” he went on to pose. The Congress leader also questioned the government on why Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, a government PSU, was superseded for a Rs 30,000 crore ‘offset contract’ in favour of a private company. This was despite the fact that HAL had already signed a ‘work share agreement’ on March 13, 2014 with Dassault Aviation, he said. The government has denied the Congress charge that there is a huge scam in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France. With inputs from PTI III. https://scroll.in/latest/868158/congress-poses-questions-to-centre-on-rafale-deal-rahul-gandhi-to-speak-in-parliament Rafale deal: Rahul Gandhi says defence minister had earlier agreed to disclose the price of aircraft The Congress also posed several questions to the government about the agreement. Rafale deal: Rahul Gandhi says defence minister had earlier agreed to disclose the price of aircraft A Rafale aircraft | IANS Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday told reporters that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had gone back on her words that she would reveal the price of the Rafale aircraft purchased from France. “Some time ago, the defence minister said she would give the pricing information to the country,” Gandhi said. “Now, she has changed her position and is saying that it is a state secret.” He also implied in a tweet that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had lied when he claimed that the Congress did not disclose prices of defence purchases during its rule. Dear Mr Jaitlie, You said the UPA never released prices of Defence purchases? To nail your lie, here are 3 Parliamentary replies by the UPA with full transparency on pricing. Now do ask our Raksha Mantri to tell India how much each RAFALE jet cost.#DealMeinKuchKalaHai pic.twitter.com/txb2Cc1BHh — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) February 9, 2018 Gandhi has also asked for discussion in Parliament on the Rafale deal under a rule that compels the government to answer, NDTV reported. Earlier, Gandhi had called the deal a scam. “Rahul Gandhi wants the government’s clarification and he also wants to place some facts before the House,” Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said. “There has been some irregularity in the Rafale deal and the government is hiding behind the confidentiality clause to avoid answers.” Meanwhile, Congress on Friday posed a serious of questions to the Narendra Modi government on the Rafale deal, asking it to disclose the purchase price of each aircraft and details of how the agreement with France was reached. “As the Modi government stumbles and fumbles, hides and conceals, indulges in doublespeak, sacrifices national interest and refuses to answer on loss to public exchequer, India will continue to demand answers,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter. “What is the price per aircraft of the 36 Rafale aircraft being purchased by the Modi government?” Surjewala asked. “Did Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman not agree to share the price of Rafale aircraft in a press conference on November 17, 2017?” He said that Sitharaman had on February 5 refused to disclose the price of the aircraft due to a secrecy agreement with France which “presumably” came to an end on January 24. However, Surjewala said, on February 8 Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the price could not be revealed in the interest of “national security”. “Isn’t a full disclosure of price of Rafale aircraft in ‘national interest’?” Surjewala asked. “Why are the two ministers of the government speaking in two different voices? Who are they trying to shield?” Is it correct that per aircraft price of Rafale as per International bid opened on December 12, 2012 comes to US$ 80.95 million (Rs.526.1 crore) as against Modi Government’s per aircraft negotiated price of US$ 241.66 Million (Rs.1570.8 crore) as per current exchange rates?3/ — Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) February 9, 2018 Has another country – Qatar purchased 12 Rafale Fighter Jets in November, 2017 for US$ 108.33 million per aircraft (Rs.694.80 crore) as per current exchange rates? If this is correct, why has Modi Government paid such astronomically higher price for Rafale Aircrafts? — Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) February 9, 2018 Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon, both Aircrafts were found equal on all technical requirements by Indian Air Force. Is it not correct that on 4th July, 2014; Eurofighter Typhoon gave a written offer to the then RM Shri Arun Jaitley offering to reduce prices by 20%? 4/ — Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) February 9, 2018 Why did PM Modi and Defence Minister then not ask both the companies to submit fresh bids through ‘inter-governmental agreement route’ so as to get the lowest price in favour of India’s public exchequer? — Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) February 9, 2018 Surjewala asked why Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s deal to make Rafale aircraft in India was cancelled and granted instead to Reliance. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to greenyouth@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. 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