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Rafale: Def Min Nirmala Sitharaman’s reply, abrasive and evasive – like Jaitley’s

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Rafale

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Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, replying to an acrimonious debate in Parliament on the Rafale jet deal today remained focused more on attacking the Congress than answering the questions raised by the opposition parties.

Sitharaman accused the Congress of scrapping an earlier deal when it was in power because it “didn’t get the money” and ignored social security in favour of its “treasury security” – allegations which lack even circumstantial evidence, compared to the more substantive material against the Narendra Modi government.

The minister also alleged that the Congress was shedding crocodile tears on HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) not getting the offset contract with Rafale-maker Dassault as the party did nothing to scale up the capacity of the state-run company.

“You stopped the deal, forgetting that the Air Force was suffering. You didn’t conclude the deal because it didn’t suit you. The deal didn’t get you money. They did not intend to buy the aircraft till something else was done. There is something different between defence deal and deal in defence,” Sitharaman said in her response to the three-day debate.

“We don’t do defence dealings. We deal in defence with national security as our priority,” she said.

The Congress alleges that the BJP-led government scrapped a deal for 126 aircraft negotiated by the previous UPA government to go for an overpriced deal for 36 aircraft only to help Anil Ambani, whose inexperienced defence company bagged an offset contract with Dassault.

Sitharaman said the assumption that the Rafale fighters were available off the shelf was “mistaken”, referring to the 126 aircraft deal. Eighteen of those jets were to be delivered in fly-away condition.

The minister accused the Congress of misleading the country by saying that the current government reduced 126 Rafale jets to 36. “The Congress was supposed to buy 18 in fly-away condition, the NDA raised that to 36,” she said.

She also emphasised that unlike the previous deal, which never materialised, the delivery of first Rafale aircraft will happen in September 2019 and the last aircraft of 36 jets will be delivered in 2022.

“By 2014, you couldn’t even get these 18 aircrafts. Why? There wasn’t a deal? Today you get up to say what sense of urgency? The Indian Air Force always advises government to buy two squadrons, which is 36 aircraft instead of 18, in case of emergency purchases,” the minister said.

Sitharaman reminded the opposition members while India added no fighter aircraft, its hostile neighbours kept increasing their air power.

“China added 400 aircraft between 2004-14 including 5th gen aircraft while Pakistan increased aircraft by doubling its F16s,” Sitharaman said.

She said even in the old agreement, the first Rafale batch was to be delivered after three years of signing the agreement while the Modi government in view of the urgency went for inter-governmental deal.

Refuting allegations that the NDA government neglected HAL, she said that the previous governments never signed any agreement with HAL either.

“They could not sign a deal with HAL but they are shedding crocodile tears today,” Sitharaman added.

Earlier, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said there would be a criminal investigation into the Rafale deal if his party comes to power in this year’s national elections. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was running away from the questions posed to him.

“If we come to power in 2019, there will be criminal investigation and people responsible will be punished,” he said.

The opposition has demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the deal even though the Supreme Court recently gave a clean chit to the government.

 Questions unanswered:

The opposition has been asking why PM Modi scrapped the earlier deal for purchase of 126 Rafale aircraft, which was said to be almost done according to authoritative statements till days before Modi’s sudden announcement of a new deal in Paris.

It has also questioned the increase in price when the aircraft was to be delivered with the same configuration as that negotiated by the previous government.

The opposition also questioned why Anil Ambani’s Reliance was chosen over public sector HAL as offset partner for Rafale manufacturer Dassault and why the transfer of technology envisaged under the previous deal was foregone.

It also pointed out circumstances like Ambani forming the company just days before Modi announced the deal during his Paris visit, on which the industrialist had accompanied the PM.

The government in its replies in Parliament has also sidestepped allegations that it misled the Supreme Court.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Bollywood actor Neha Sharma campaigns for her father Ajit Sharma in Bhagalpur, Bihar

The Bollywood actor posted a video on her Instagram handle which showed her journey through various districts of Bihar, including Kishanganj, Banka, Purnea and Katihar. She was dressed in a traditional salwar kameez and was seen greeting and encouraging the public to cast their votes.

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Bollywood actor Neha Sharma’s recent participation in a roadshow in Bihar has taken the internet by storm. Sharma, known for her roles in films like Tum Bin 2 and Crook, was seen supporting her father, Ajit Sharma, who is contesting from Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket. The roadshow came amid speculations that the actor might enter politics. But, it is now clear that she was just campaigning for her father.

neha sharma

The Bollywood actor posted a video on her Instagram handle which showed her journey through various districts of Bihar, including Kishanganj, Banka, Purnea and Katihar. She was dressed in a traditional salwar kameez and was seen greeting and encouraging the public to cast their votes.

The actor received a warm reception and love from a large crowd in Pirpainti and Kahalgaon during her roadshow. She wrote on Instagram that it is said when someone gives one a place in their heart, then they live there forever. She said her heart is full of all the love and support she was receiving from the people. She thanked the people for the warm welcome she got in Pirpainti and Kahalgaon. Aapka pyar sar ankhon par.

Another video, circulating on social media showed the actor actively participating in her father’s election campaign in Bhagalpur. The election to the Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat is set to take place in the 2nd phase on April 26. Ajit Sharma is representing the Congress and is up against JDU’s Ajay Kumar Mandal in this seat.

Earlier, there had been rumours and speculations that Neha Sharma might join politics. But many reports have clarified that she is not making her political debut yet. The Bollywood actor had been offered the opportunity to join politics by her father Ajjit Sharma but she is currently focusing on her acting career.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Mallikarjun Kharge vows to continue politics till his last breath to defeat BJP

The 81-year-old Congress leader was speaking at a election rally in Afzalpur and said that if the people did not vote for the Congress candidate, he would think that he did not have any place in Kalaburagi anymore.

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Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday appealed to the people of Kalaburagi to at least attend his funeral if they thought he worked for them even though they do not wish to vote for Congress in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The 81-year-old Congress leader was speaking at a election rally in Afzalpur and said that if the people did not vote for the Congress candidate, he would think that he did not have any place in Kalaburagi anymore. The Congress President sought an emotional chord with the people of his home district of Kalaburagi, Karnataka

The grand old party has fielded Kharge’s son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani from Kalaburagi, against BJP’s sitting MP Umesh Jadhav. Kharge had won the Lok Sabha elections from Kalaburagi in 2009 and 2014, but lost in 2019. He appealed to the voters to vote for Congress but at least come to his funeral if they thought that he had done some work in Kalaburagi. Kharge added that he would continue in politics till his last breath to defeat the BJP and RSS ideology.

The Congress leader said he is born for politics and whether or not he contests the election, he will continue to strive till his last breath to save the Constitution and democracy of the country. He asserted that he will not retire from politics. Kharge said that retirement happens from a position but one should not retire from his/her principles. He said he is born to defeat the ideology of the BJP and RSS and not to surrender before them.

He advised Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who shared the stage with him, to follow his principles. He said he had told Siddaramaiah many times that he may retire as CM or MLA, but he cannot retire from politics till he defeats the ideology of the BJP and RSS.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Nitin Gadkari says he’s better now after collapsing at election rally in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal

A disturbing video of the incident – which was unfortunately streamed live on X (formerly Twitter), including by his own account – showed Nitin Gadkari being carried away by those on stage, many of whom rushed to form a shield around the BJP leader to give him, and those treating him, some privacy.

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Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari collapsed while speaking at an election rally in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal on Wednesday afternoon. Fortunately, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader received prompt treatment and was able, after a brief pause, to get back up on stage and continue his speech.

A disturbing video of the incident – which was unfortunately streamed live on X (formerly Twitter), including by his own account – showed Nitin Gadkari being carried away by those on stage, many of whom rushed to form a shield around the BJP leader to give him, and those treating him, some privacy.

Nitin Gadkari took to X and informed that he felt uncomfortable due to the heat during the rally in Pusad, Maharashtra. But now he is completely healthy and is leaving for Varud to attend the next meeting. He thanked his supporters and well wishers for their love and good wishes.

Gadkari, who fought the elections in the first phase of voting as BJP’s candidate from Nagpur Lok Sabha seat, was campaigning for Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader Rajashree Patil in Yavatmal’s Pusad. Addressing the rally, the union minister said, he was confident that the people of Yavatmal district, which has a constant tendency towards development, will give victory to the BJP-Maha alliance, which believes in all-round development.

Gadkari posted on X that as the nation moves towards a developed India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, significant work has been done in the last 10 years in the areas of roads and highways as well as health, education and other sectors across the country. He said many schemes of the central government were successfully extended to the rural areas. Due to this, along with the city, the people of the rural areas are also able to benefit from many important facilities.

The Yavatmal constituency along with Akola, Buldhana, Amravati, Hingoli, Wardha, Parbhani and Nanded in Maharashtra are scheduled to vote in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election on April 26.

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