The Supreme Court, today, has dismissed all the PILs related to the Rafale deal seeking a court-monitored investigation into the deal and has given it a clean chit. The Court said that it has not found any material to show that there has been any commercial favouritism.
During the election campaign for assembly elections in the five states, Rahul Gandhi made several outlandish comments about the Rafale deal. Although the Congress party appears to have gained electorally, the claims made in the Court by the Petitioners have fallen flat.
Earlier in November, Rahul Gandhi had challenged Prime Minister Modi to a debate on Rafale. He had also falsely claimed that the government had removed the CBI Director Alok Verma to stop him from probing the Rafale deal. At one point, the Congress President had claimed in the Lok Sabha that the French President had told him personally that there was no secrecy pact between the two countries which prevented the government from discussing the terms and price of the Rafale jets.
The French government then issued a statement which essentially proved that Rahul Gandhi lies on the floor of the Parliament. They stated that the secrecy pact was signed in 2008 (during UPA regime, AK Antony being the defence minister) whose provisions also apply to the deal of 36 Rafale aircraft and their weapons which was signed on 23rd September 2016.
Rahul Gandhi had also alleged that Reliance will benefit by US$ 4 billion, approximately the entire offset amount. Later, he added US$ 16 billion for “Rafale lifecycle Contract” that Reliance was supposed to get. In reality, no such ‘lifecycle contract’ exists. And both the figures have no basis in fact.
Not just the Congress President but other politicians jumped on the bandwagon as well.
CBI chief Alok Verma was removed to cover up #RafaleScam investigation. This development clearly establishes Modi government’s link to the Rafale scam: Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu pic.twitter.com/evG4jUNRMT
— ANI (@ANI) October 24, 2018
And, of course. the politicians were helped by their friends in the media as well.
If Rafale is bigger scam than Bofors, as Arun Shourie says, why don’t opposition parties start a nationwide agitation as V P Singh did during Rajiv Gandhi’s regime.
— nikhil wagle (@waglenikhil) August 9, 2018
Dear @PMOIndia if the unholy haste in your personally negotiated #Rafale deal was that we would get the jets in two years where are the fighter jets? Is the delay due to the offset partner? Tell us https://t.co/USWN6tS2Fk
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) July 27, 2018
The key issue in Rafale is cronyism. PM personally negotiated HAL out of the deal & let Rafale bring in Anil Ambani with no experience. Cronyism is not abt immediate exchange of consideration. It is abt long term IOUs exchanged between power and money!
— M K Venu (@mkvenu1) July 25, 2018
Retain the sanctity and secrecy of the Rafale deal signed at Govt to Govt level; but why is an offset contract signed with a private company becoming such a touchy issue? Why can’t this be settled in a transparent manner in the public domain? #RafaleDeal
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) July 20, 2018
In intvw to @IndiaToday @EmmanuelMacron clearly says that altho SOME parts of Rafale deal cannot be divulged, it is up to Indian govt to decide which part of the deal it can divulge to the Opposition, he can’t interfere in that decision. Why can’t public know price of aircraft?
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) July 20, 2018
Some ‘journalists’ also appeared to have been emotionally invested in the story and wanted to see a scam where there was none.
Very aggressive speech by Rahul Gandhi. Makes BJP uneasy. Exposes PM and MoD on Rafale deal. Media may have got the headline!
— nikhil wagle (@waglenikhil) July 20, 2018
Hahaha! Two identical reports in two newspapers claim Modi govt saved #%%%]#]^{^ rupees on Rafale. Both reports based on sources. Please counter our expose with tangible evidence not through ‘top sources’ https://t.co/XlHjfq1K9q
— Rifat Jawaid (@RifatJawaid) November 23, 2017
Compare the silence on TV re qns about the Rafale deal or the judge’s death to the noise during UPA-2. Scandalous.
— Mihir Sharma (@mihirssharma) November 22, 2017
Politicians and propagandists also relied on a French NGO, Sherpa, that registered a complaint there against the Rafale deal to peddle their narrative. But, as it turned out, it has been accused previously of filing motivated lawsuits to destroy the reputation and gain media attention and funds. And as we have reported, the NGO is partners with George Soros’ Open Society, Misereor and Oxfam among others.
The French and the Indian Governments and Dassault have time and again issued clarifications on the matter. And yet, Rahul Gandhi along with his friends in the media created a narrative on the basis of half-truths and complete lies. The purpose, it appears, was winning the Assembly elections. In that, they have succeeded it appears.
We have published several articles during the course of the past few months puncturing the liberal narrative. And with today’s Supreme Court verdict on Rafale, the matter should be finally allowed to rest. But judging from their conduct thus far, it appears unlikely.
