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Monsoon session: Uproar over Rafale deal, Congress demands JPC probe

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Monsoon session: Uproar over Rafale deal, Congress demands JPC probe

Opposition parties on the last day of Parliament’s monsoon session raised the issue of alleged scam in Rafale deal and demanded answers from the Narendra Modi government, asking for a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the matter.

UPA chairperson and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi led a protest over the issue in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statute in Parliament complex. Opposition leaders, including Raj Babbar, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Ambika Soni, CPI’s D Raja, AAP’s Sushil Gupta among others were seen holding placards that said, “We demand JPC”, “Modi Corruption Exposed”, Rafale Cover-Up Out In the Open”

The Opposition MPs raised slogans in Lok Sabha seeking to establish a JPC to investigate the alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal.

In Rajya Sabha, Congress members sought a discussion on the issue suspending the legislative business.

“This is the biggest scam of the world. We are demanding the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the Rafale deal,” Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said in the Rajya Sabha.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel dismissed their protest and asked the Opposition to bring substantial proof before they accuse the Prime Minister of corruption. This led to protest in the House.

Congress members on Thursday had created uproarious scenes in the Lok Sabha demanding a probe into the Rafale deal by a JPC, forcing an adjournment of the proceedings. They were heard demanding a JPC probe into the deal and a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Congress leaders had turned down a breakfast invite from Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu for today after the lawmakers weren’t allowed to raise their concerns around the Rafale fighter jet deal.

Naidu had declined permission to leaders from the Congress and other parties to raise their demand for a parliamentary probe into the Rafale deal, and even switched off their microphones and hurriedly push through two bills despite their protests.

The fresh protests in Parliament followed a press conference by two former ministers in the previous NDA government headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee, Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha, on Wednesday.

In a detailed press release with annexures, Shourie and Sinha rebutted the government’s argument that each Rafale cost only €91.7 million (Rs7.3 billion), because the price of the fighter should exclude an additional €47.2 million (Rs3.75 billion) spent on “India specific enhancements”.

The former ministers rebutted the “enhancements” argument by citing the India-France Joint Statement issued after Modi met French President Francois Hollande in Paris in April 2015. In that formal document, the two leaders agreed that “the aircraft and associated systems and weapons would be delivered on the same configuration as had been tested and approved (in the MMRCA testing) by Indian Air Force (IAF), and with a longer maintenance responsibility by France.”

In the press release, they pointed out: “That clear and emphatic affirmation in the (Modi-Hollande) Joint Statement nails the falsehood that has been spread since then — namely, that the price per aircraft is so much higher because of some novel ‘India specific enhancements’ in the 36 Rafales now contracted.”

The veterans summed up the charges to say that in the present deal, national security has been jeopardised, an enormous additional burden has been placed on the national exchequer, the one organisation in the country which has had decades-long experience in manufacturing aircraft – HAL – has been kicked out of the project and, finally, that a private party which has had absolutely no experience in manufacturing aerospace and defence equipment has been handed an enormous financial benefit.

Calling the entire transaction “a textbook case of criminal misconduct, of misuse of public office and of enriching parties at the expense of the national interest and national security”, they said: “Parliament and other agencies charged with the responsibility of overseeing the defence of our country, of preventing corruption and of ensuring that the government remains accountable as well as media must exhume every fact about how the original project was jettisoned, and one without rationale has been put in its place.”

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Vijay meets PM Modi for second time as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister during Delhi visit

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi during his latest visit to the capital, marking their second interaction since Vijay became Chief Minister.

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday, marking their second meeting since Vijay assumed office last month.

The meeting took place during Vijay’s visit to the national capital, where he has also been scheduled to attend the Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog. Reports indicate that the interaction between the two leaders lasted around 20 minutes.

This follows Vijay’s first official meeting with the Prime Minister on May 27, shortly after taking charge as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. During that meeting, Vijay submitted a memorandum on several issues concerning the state, including the Mekedatu dam project, Tamil Nadu fishermen detained in Sri Lanka, and other matters related to the state’s interests.

Vijay’s latest Delhi visit has included meetings with several national leaders as he continues engagements with the Centre and leaders from different political parties. Reports said he also met senior Congress leaders during the trip.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister took office on May 10 after his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), emerged as a key force in the 2026 Assembly elections and formed the government with support from alliance partners.

While details of the latest discussion between Vijay and the Prime Minister were not immediately disclosed, the meeting is being viewed as part of ongoing Centre-state consultations on issues concerning Tamil Nadu.

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Abhishek Banerjee gets three-week interim protection in Bengal signature forgery case

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee has secured three weeks of interim protection from coercive action in the Bengal signature forgery case while the CID probe continues.

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Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee has received interim protection from coercive action for three weeks from the Calcutta High Court in connection with the alleged signature forgery case being investigated by the West Bengal CID. The relief comes amid an ongoing legal challenge by the senior party leader against repeated summons issued by investigators.

The case relates to allegations that signatures of several Trinamool Congress MLAs were forged on a party resolution submitted to the West Bengal Assembly during a leadership dispute. The complaint led to the registration of a case and a CID investigation, with the agency seeking to question Banerjee regarding the disputed document.

Court grants temporary relief

During the hearing, the court granted Banerjee protection from arrest and other coercive measures for three weeks while the matter remains under judicial consideration. The interim order provides temporary relief as the legal proceedings continue and the CID investigation moves forward.

Banerjee had approached the High Court challenging the CID summons and seeking protection from any adverse action. He had also requested additional time to appear before investigators, citing legal proceedings and other commitments.

CID probe and summons

The West Bengal CID has issued multiple notices to Banerjee in the alleged forgery case and has maintained that his statement is important for the investigation. Investigators have also questioned several MLAs and carried out searches linked to the probe.

According to investigators, the inquiry focuses on allegations that signatures appearing on a party communication submitted to the Assembly did not match those of some legislators. The authenticity of the document and related records remains under examination.

The matter is expected to return to court after the expiry of the interim protection period, while the CID investigation continues.

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CID searches Mamata Banerjee’s residence-cum-office in signature forgery investigation

The West Bengal CID carried out a search at Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence-cum-office in Kolkata as part of an ongoing probe into allegations that signatures of Trinamool Congress MLAs were forged on a document submitted to the Assembly Speaker.

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Mamata Banerjee

The West Bengal Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Tuesday carried out a search at the Kalighat residence-cum-office of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee as part of its investigation into an alleged signature forgery case that has triggered a major political controversy in the state.

The probe relates to allegations that signatures of several Trinamool Congress MLAs were forged on a communication submitted to the Assembly Speaker regarding the selection of senior party leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay as the Leader of Opposition.

According to the complaint, two party MLAs, Ritabrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha, informed the Speaker that no resolution had been adopted at a May 6 meeting as claimed in the official communication. They further alleged that signatures were added later and questioned the authenticity of several entries on the document.

The CID team, accompanied by police personnel, arrived at the premises located at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street in Kolkata. The location serves as both Mamata Banerjee’s residence and an important party office. Investigators reportedly conducted the search after seeking information connected to the collection of signatures under scrutiny.

The development comes amid an intensifying investigation that has already seen multiple notices issued to Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Searches were also conducted at locations linked to him as investigators sought to verify details regarding the process through which the signatures were collected.

The signature forgery controversy has added to the political challenges facing the Trinamool Congress, with the issue exposing internal divisions within the party following its recent electoral setback in West Bengal.

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