Rafale controversy refuses to die - Early Times Newspaper Jammu Kashmir

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Rafale controversy refuses to die

Omkar Dattatray

3/11/2019 12:48:16 AM

There seems to be something fishy in the controversial Rafale purchase contract and hence it refuses to die in spite of the clean chit to BJP led NDA government by the apex court of the land. Either there is something fishy in Rafale deal or the opposition parties do not like the issue to be overlooked and dead as it has given a handle to the congress and the other opposition parties to beat their arch rival in the run up to the elections and thus the issue is ever fresh, green and kicking like the Bofors scam of UPA-1. Now the Rafale controversy has taken a new turn with the solicitor general of India revealing that the important documents relating to Rafale contract are missing and stolen from the defense ministry though he retracted later on. The Government has said to the Supreme Court that the Rafale documents were stolen from the Defense Ministry and in this way there seems something hanky panky by the defense authorities and the Rafale controversy is going to leave its impact upon the poll prospects of the NDA in the ensuing general elections of 2019. Rafale jet controversy has become a political cannon fodder to the opposition parties particularly congress to fight the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections and the controversy has become a political fodder in the hands of BJP and NDA to beat its arch rival congress and other so called Mahagathbandhan in the run up to polls. In fact, the political ramifications and consequences of the Rafale controversy are great and cannot be exaggerated as the controversy is bound to affect the outcome of the Lok Sabha election of 2019. The Rafale deal now takes off again. While the congress loses no opportunity to rake Rafale issue and says that Chowkidar meaning Narinder Modi is chor but the master strategist of BJP Modi is on record to have said and emphasized that had the Rafale been purchased our air force strike would have been more penetrating and result oriented but for the non cooperative attitude of the Congress and other opposition parties. Whatever it is while the congress uses Rafale jet issue against BJP led NDA government; the BJP on its part also uses this issue of far reaching ramifications for battling its bite nore the congress in the ensuing elections of 2019. Rafale fallout will be definitely echoed in the coming Lok Sabha elections. But the track record of historical developmental achievements are very great and in fact enviable for everybody and more so far a political party which is in hunt for any issue or non issue to beat its political opponents. In fact, the ramifications of the Rafale controversy are great but still it may not be able to dent the image of BJP as a list of achievements to the credit of the BJP is big and Rafale controversy's negative points will be checkmated by the huge achievements of BJP. In the final analysis BJP will have the field day and win hands down. Like Bofors scandal of UPA, the Rafale issue is very fresh, living and kicking and it will give a big jerk to the BJP poll fortunes but at the end of the day BJP will come victorious as the party has salvaged India from inertia and indolence of congress rule and has given a place of pride to India in the comity of nations as Indian economy is growing at a fast rate and is the fastest growing economy of the world and this is no mean achievement by any standard. The opposition parties in India have been up in arms alleging corruption and kickbacks in the defense deal since it was signed by the BJP led NDA government in April, 2015. In the latest development in the controversial Rafale deal the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the government to disclose before it the pricing of the deal. Though the government has said it may not be possible to disclose the cost because of a confidentiality clause added to the agreement due to national security concerns, the centre is obligated to provide a response to the court. The Supreme Court has clarified that details submitted by the government at this stage would be considered confidential. The Rafale deal has triggered a political controversy in India over the price of 36 twin engine fighter jets from France. The deal is estimated to cost around Rs. 58000 crores, however the opposition in India has claimed that the deal has cost India thrice the amount it was supposed to and that an Indian partner favored by the government was unfairly chosen as the partner in the deal. The controversy is heating up as the nation heads towards 2019 Lok Sabha elections, with the opposition unwilling to let PM Modi to breathe easy. Every week the controversy sees a new twist and gives more political color to the issue helping the opposition to score brownie points thanks to opposition's non-relenting mood on Rafale issue and the BJP's efforts to present it as an achievement of NDA government thus nullifying the criticism of the Rafale controversy. India in September, 2016 inked a direct deal with the French government to purchased 36 new Rafale fighter jets in a 7.87 million Euro deal. India will also get its latest weapons like the meteor and scalap missiles as the part of the contract, besides a five year support package that assures a high availability of the fighter. In a new twist the documents concerning the Rafale deal have been stolen as per the SGI. The documents sited by the Hindu in a report on the controversial deal were stolen from Defense Ministry and cannot be shown in court as it would affect national security, the government told the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Those who put the documents on the Rafale deal in the public domain are guilty under the official Secrets Act and contempt of court, Attorney general K.K Venugopal said before a three judge bench headed by Chief Justic Ranjan Gogoi. An FIR has not been registered so far into the theft of documents pertaining to Rafale deal. Government is contemplating of action against the national paper Hindu and it will be the murder of democracy and as such action should not be taken against the newspaper. The government opposed any review of the Supreme Court's refusal to order an investigation of the Rafale deal insisting that the documents on which the case rests were stolen and could not be used in the court of law as investigation is going underway. The intention that criminal action will be taken against those who have published a report on stealing of the documents of Rafale deal from defense Ministry is disturbing. Government says it will launch a probe against the publishers but it will be an assault on the freedom of press and democracy and cannot be allowed in a democracy and liberal society of 21st century India. Earlier, Solicitor General K.K Venugopal has said that documents concerning the Rafale deal were stolen but later retracted and it is very sad indeed. To cut the long story short it can be said that the Rafale deal issue will leave its imprints on the electoral compass of 2019 but will it adversely affect the poll prospectus of the BJP is to be seen and it is the moot question. The controversy is the subject of debate as well as public gossip. Nothing certain and accurate can be said at this juncture about political fallout of the Rafale issue because the mood of the public changes so quickly and often. All that we can do is to wait with patience and then see the electoral battle and its results. At the same time we should cast our precious vote with proper thought, foresight to the best candidates. Rest be assured the country will be ruled by able men of impeachable integrity and honesty.

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