INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
In what comes as a big embarrassment to the BJP-led NDA government, the Supreme Court on Wednesday sought details of the decision-making
process that preceded the mega fighter-jet deal.
Clarifying that it is not interested in knowing pricing and technical parameters, the apex
court said it is only checking whether due processes were followed in the run-up in finalising the mega deal
The SC observation comes at a time when the Modi government is at pains to justify the close to $9-billion deal to buy 36 fighter jets from
French defence major Dassault.
Coming on the eve of the crucial state elections, the SC directive has provided fresh ammunition to the
Opposition parties that have launched a major offensive against PM Modi for entering an out-ofturn deal
The main Opposition party, the Congress, alleges that the deal has been struck at a price much higher than the price at which Dassault had
experts discussed the ruckus over the Rafale deal and what it means to Team Modi and the Opposition parties in the election season.
Here are
some interesting takeaways:
PANEL VIEWNALIN KOHLIADVOCATE, SC NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON, BJPEverything the government is supposed to do is
supposed to be by due process
And when Congress didn't do due process you had 125 licences thrown out by the Supreme Court
Congress is choosing forums where they can buy time, make allegations, mud sling
The fact of the matter is you cannot manufacture a scam
If there's a scam they have evidence they would have rushed to the court in the first place themselves.
MUHAMMAD KHANSPOKESPERSON,
CONGRESSCongress has no dog in the fight before the Supreme Court
Congress has been categorical having issued written statements even to the extent that we don't believe that the Supreme Court is the
appropriate forum for this issue to be raised
Our chosen forum which we felt was appropriate, which was echoed by many experts, was CAG and that's the forum we went to after our
request for JPC was turned down
We are grateful that the Supreme Court has decided to look into the matter.
COLONEL AJAI SHUKLA (RETD)SENIOR JOURNALIST STRATEGIC AFFAIRS
This name calling, mud slinging now takes second place to a cold evaluation by the SC whether the provisions of defence procurement
procedure were followed by the government when it decided for a competitive procurement to an inter-govt agreement.
SUSHANT SAREENSTRATEGIC
AFFAIRS ANALYSTI found today the proceedings in the court somewhat strange
Everybody knows the incompetence of HAL, especially in manufacturing state of the art jets
If every single deal that the government takes is put under this kind of scrutiny it will take us 150 years to procure something.
