Rafale Scam: BJP's Pralhad Joshi claims 'Centre bargained, purchased jets at best price'

After the expose by French investigative magazine Mediapart's alleged kickbacks during the Rafale negotiations under the UPA government, Congress and BJP have been levelling allegations against each other over the deal. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday responded to the claims made by a French portal that Rafale jets makers paid 7.5 million Euros to middlemen between 2007 & 2012, and said that the BJP does not know about the bribe amount as they 'bargained a lot and purchased the jet at best prices'.

'Don't know about the bribe': Pralhad Joshi

"We (BJP) don't know about the bribe amount given between 2007 and 2012. We just bargained a lot and purchased Rafale jets at the best prices to support our air force," Joshi told ANI when asked about the allegations by Congress against BJP that the ruling party is running 'operation' clean up in Rafale jets matter.

Congress hits out at Center 

Congress on Tuesday slammed the Centre over the new media reports on the Rafale deal and alleged that the BJP-led government is running away from Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the matter. Congress General Secretary Organisation KC Venugopal said the government should institute a JPC probe into the deal.

On the other hand, Congress party spokesperson Pawan Khera reacted to the French news portal report and stated that Sushen Gupta, who received alleged payoffs, was appointed by the Dassault Aviation in 2000 when the BJP-led government was in power. He also questioned the Centre on why the aforesaid agencies (ED and CBI) had not acted in the last 36 months.

BJP calls out Congress over Rafale scam

Sambit Patra pulled up the Congress for launching an attack on the BJP over the Rafale deal, and said that Mediapart has put forth the truth through their article. Slamming the Congress party over the issue, Sambit Patra said that the real meaning of INC is ‘I need Commission’. Patra presented a copy of the Mediapart article during a press conference and claimed that the truth was now out. He pointed out the agreement of commission placed in the deal. “We didn’t see any agreement of purchase during the Congress rule, but there was an agreement of the commission,” he said. 

'INC stands for I need Commission' says Sabit Patra

“There is an agreement of commission and you would be astonished if you go through the contents of the agreement. The Congress was taking commission at 40 per cent. Congratulations Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, you have broken records of commissions,” Patra said slamming the INC. “INC does not stand for Indian National Congress, INC means I need Commission. The INC should be renamed,” the BJP spokesperson said.

(With ANI Inputs)