With the Supreme Court agreeing to hear the plea on RAFALE DEAL, I expected the tempers will cool down, but the most unfortunate thing was, the IAF Chief has used the annual press conference, ahead of Air Force Day, to defend the controversial Rafale Deal. It must be noted that Congress or any other party, have never questioned the capacity of the aircraft and in fact it is going to be game changer for IAF which has been struggling to strengthen the forces, and it is a fact that that Rafale was shortlisted after having tested six others who were part of global tender, during UPA time. The IAF Chief is reported to have told that the government has taken a bold step to buy 36 Aircraft’s “at a reasonable and adequate cost”. I feel, the cost component, is for the government of the day, to disclose, as it was claimed by the government that a better price has been negotiated when compared to UPA. It will be appropriate if top officials of armed forces, keep away from media, talking deals which are under public scanner, and moreover, the controversy is the questionable manner in which government settled for 36 aircrafts ignoring the need of 126. Does it make the IAF top brass happy with the uncertainty looming large over the remaining 108? This issue has brought major embarrassment to the Centre, with the Defence Minister and other Ministers giving wish-washy arguments against accusations of corruption. Is it not difficult to fathom that a Defence company created just 10 days before the deal, and the contract was given to it pertaining to the most sophisticated fighter planes, while ignoring the expertise of HAL which has produced various fighter jets and continues to provide defence equipment to the armed forces even to this day. If there was no graft or nepotism, why not initiate JPC probe is the mute question? Well, Defence deals were shady, are shady, and will remain shady -under any government. It is because no one dares to question them. The total defence expenditure where we spend it and why --raise questions on that and you will be labeled anti-national. Owing to national security tag you won’t get answers. The present government didn’t even want to reveal the price at which they had bought the Rafale planes, citing confidentiality.
But here let's understand that we are buying these with tax payer’s money, from a foreign private company and the company sells these planes across the world, while our government doesn’t want to tell truth. In any case, I don’t know whether the parliamentary committee, on Defence production or Auditor General, will also have to close their eyes. If all these people, see what is the confidentiality involved except making the general public fools.
For the past few weeks leaders from both ruling and opposition have been engaged in a vitriolic war of words over the purchase agreement and Rahul looks to have taken the cue from the past, and is adopting the techniques, slogans, narratives etc of VP Singh, had deployed to vilify his father Rajiv, on Bofors. Let us remember, that no student of political science can miss the commonalities between Bofors and Rafale, which are decades apart in time, but uncomfortably close in the blame game.
*Both Bofors and Rafale hit the headlines, just one year before the Lok Sabha Elections.
*The main target then and now —the Prime Minister
*Individuals perceived to be close PM accused of influencing are, Quattrocchi in 89, now Anil Ambani.
*Opposition charged Rajiv’s that PMO was behind the Bofors deal through personal negotiations, with Swedish leaders, now Congress accuses Modi of following the same tactic by imposing Ambani as a joint venture partner with Dassault .
*In 1989 BJP with all opposition, had demanded JPC and its same story now, with BJP at the receiving end.
During Jawaharlal Nehru’s time also a scandal over irregular purchases of Jeeps for our defence sector had led to a purge in the bureaucracy and Cabinet. Subsequently, many major defence deals involving Submarines from France, MIGs from Russia etc grabbed headlines. So I think unless the influence of global lobbyists is eradicated India will remain at the mercy of foreign suppliers.
The current government did nothing to change that, in four years after being power is sad. They either helped their rich friends get Defence deals, or made policies that indirectly give their rich friends an advantage is also, sad. Perhaps there is something wrong in the Indian value system and culture. We value relationships family, and our own friends is a bit too much and for this, we are ready to kill merit, talent, and fairness. Why don’t we make policies that enable to a new breed of entrepreneurs to emerge, if we are so sincere? As I understand, we don’t have good systems in place to secure equipment for our forces, and now all such deals will be viewed with skepticism.
But here let's understand that we are buying these with tax payer’s money, from a foreign private company and the company sells these planes across the world, while our government doesn’t want to tell truth. In any case, I don’t know whether the parliamentary committee, on Defence production or Auditor General, will also have to close their eyes. If all these people, see what is the confidentiality involved except making the general public fools.
For the past few weeks leaders from both ruling and opposition have been engaged in a vitriolic war of words over the purchase agreement and Rahul looks to have taken the cue from the past, and is adopting the techniques, slogans, narratives etc of VP Singh, had deployed to vilify his father Rajiv, on Bofors. Let us remember, that no student of political science can miss the commonalities between Bofors and Rafale, which are decades apart in time, but uncomfortably close in the blame game.
*Both Bofors and Rafale hit the headlines, just one year before the Lok Sabha Elections.
*The main target then and now —the Prime Minister
*Individuals perceived to be close PM accused of influencing are, Quattrocchi in 89, now Anil Ambani.
*Opposition charged Rajiv’s that PMO was behind the Bofors deal through personal negotiations, with Swedish leaders, now Congress accuses Modi of following the same tactic by imposing Ambani as a joint venture partner with Dassault .
*In 1989 BJP with all opposition, had demanded JPC and its same story now, with BJP at the receiving end.
During Jawaharlal Nehru’s time also a scandal over irregular purchases of Jeeps for our defence sector had led to a purge in the bureaucracy and Cabinet. Subsequently, many major defence deals involving Submarines from France, MIGs from Russia etc grabbed headlines. So I think unless the influence of global lobbyists is eradicated India will remain at the mercy of foreign suppliers.
The current government did nothing to change that, in four years after being power is sad. They either helped their rich friends get Defence deals, or made policies that indirectly give their rich friends an advantage is also, sad. Perhaps there is something wrong in the Indian value system and culture. We value relationships family, and our own friends is a bit too much and for this, we are ready to kill merit, talent, and fairness. Why don’t we make policies that enable to a new breed of entrepreneurs to emerge, if we are so sincere? As I understand, we don’t have good systems in place to secure equipment for our forces, and now all such deals will be viewed with skepticism.
