"CAG report has blasted Congress lies, 2.86% price gap could have been wider": Arun Jaitley says government stands vindicated

Arun Jaitley has slammed the Congress after the CAG report revealed that the Rafale deal negotiated by the NDA was cheaper than that of the UPA's proposed deal. 

"The CAG report has completely vindicated stand of the NDA government. It has blasted the big lie which was being spearheaded by the Congress. The report says NDA deal is cheaper, and the 2.86% could be wider still because 2016 technology is more advanced, and on account of escalation clause. The escalation was 3.5% per year in 2007. In  2016 it is 1.2 % per year. The gap of 2.3% will be compounded every year.

The Congress President had manufactured a statistic 500 vs 1600, data which doesn't exist anywhere. He repeated that lie ad nauseam. 

The Supreme Court has satisfied itself, the CAG has satisfied itself, the government stands vindicated. The matter doesn’t finish here, the people have to punish those who misled the country. This is exactly the repetition of 1989. In 1989 when the Congress government headed by Shri Rajiv Gandhi was mired in corruption, they manufactured a Saint Kitts against Mr VP Singh. Because Mr Modi has a clean image let us manufacture a crisis," he said.

READ | 'Lies Of Mahajhootbhandhan Are Exposed': Arun Jaitley Slams Congress After CAG Rafale Report Reveals NDA Deal 2.86% Cheaper Than UPA Non-deal

He also spoke about the letter from the Ministry of Defence to the Prime Minister's Office. 

"In a consultation process, people are bound to express different views (MoD dissent note), that is how decisions take place, but ultimately the Government is one and final decision is taken. So the Joint Secretary who signed the note his view was not agreed upon. Later, the cabinet note proposing present transaction on present terms is signed by him. So the called author of note ultimately supported the de al.These facts have been repeatedly clarified in the media," he said.

Arun Jaitley also spoke about the reports of Congress' conflict of interest charge against CAG Rajiv Mehrishi. 

"No file or any decision relating to any defence purchase, or Rafale in particular ever went to Shri Rajiv Mehrishi when he was there for 11 months as Secretary Economic Affairs," he said.

WATCH: ‘Congress is exposing their desperation in wanting to serve an agenda,’ says Raksha Matri Nirmala Sitharaman over MoD letter on Rafale deal