Sitharaman suppressing facts on Rafale deal: AK Antony

A K Antony and Nirmala Sitharaman

Senior Congress leader A K Antony on Tuesday accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of "suppressing facts" on the Rafale deal and asked why the government was not setting up a joint parliamentary committee to investigate it. The former defence minister also accused the government of being "guilty" of "gravely compromising" national security in the Rafale fighter jet deal.

"Since, there is a growing perception that the Modi government's Rafale purchase deal has more skeletons in its closet, let there be joint parliamentary (JPC) probe to bring out the truth," Antony told the media. "In the JPC, the present government has got the majority. Why are they afraid? Let the JPC go through all the files. The JPC can call files and look through them to come out with the truth," the Congress leader said.

Rejecting the charge levelled by Sitharaman that an unprecedented intervention by him in 2013 had put the "final nail in the coffin" when the cost negotiation committee was giving final touches to the deal, he said it was completely false. "Her allegations are completely false and she is deliberately suppressing the facts," Antony said.

SC adjourns hearing on PIL to stay jet deal
The SC on Tuesday adjourned hearing on a plea seeking a stay on the Rafale fighter jet deal between India and France. A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi, Navin Sinha and K M Joseph adjourned the matter till October 10 after petitioner advocate M L Sharma told the bench that he wanted to file some additional documents in the case and sought adjournment in the matter. In his petition, Sharma has alleged discrepancies in the fighter jet deal with France and sought a stay on it.

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