Rafale deal: Congress to meet CAG Today

New Delhi: Seeking to step up its attack on the Narendra Modi government over the Rafale deal, the Congress will raise the issue with the CAG today and demand a thorough probe into the matter, party sources said.

They said top Congress leaders will meet the Comptroller and Auditor General Wednesday morning on the issue. The Congress has alleged corruption in the deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation.

It has alleged that the Modi government has caused a loss of over Rs 41,000 crore to the exchequer by paying a higher price for the aircraft than what was negotiated by the UPA.

Earlier in the day, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the CAG and CVC are bounden by their constitutional duty to look at the entire deal and all its papers – whether or not somebody moves them.

“Congress Party at an appropriate time also intends to move an appropriate petition before CVC and CAG to expeditiously and quickly adhere to their constitutional duties,” he said.

The Congress has asked why the government was not setting up a joint parliamentary committee to probe the fighter jet deal.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, however, rejected the demand saying all the details on it have already been placed before Parliament.