AGARTALA / MUMBAI, Nov 3 (TIWN): Modi Govt's biggest ever alleged scam under Defence Ministry at the cost of Rs. 58,000 crores ‘Rafale Deal’ scam has strengthen opposition Congress's base ahead of Lok Sabha Election. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that French defence major Dassault Aviation had paid "kickback" to Reliance to secure the Rafale deal, and claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not survive if the "huge corruption" in the purchase was probed. "If an inquiry starts on this (Rafale deal), Modi is not going to survive it, guaranteed," Gandhi said here alleging the deal to procure 36 Rafale jets was "done by Modi to give Ambani Rs 30,000 crore". Gandhi cited two reasons for his claims: "One, because of corruption. Two, because it is very clear who the decision maker was. "Nobody would be able to say that some General in the Air Force or the Defence Minister or some bureaucrat from the Defence Ministry (was the decision maker)."Gandhi said that if there was nothing to hide, Modi would have ordered an inquiry into the decision to purchase the fighter jets from France. "But Modi is silent. He has lost his sleep because of tension as he knows he will be caught."

Claiming Dassault Aviation "invested Rs 284 crore" in a "loss making" Indian company, Gandhi said it was the "first installment of kickback" that was paid by the French defence major to secure the deal.

Rahul Gandhi said that Dassault CEO Eric Trappier's claim that his company chose Reliance as its offsets partner because it had land available next to an airport, had been belied as it had been revealed that the land was bought by the money that was "invested by Dassault".

Gandhi alleged Trappier was "lying" to save Modi who in April 2015 had announced the inter-governmental deal to buy the jets in "complete violation" of defence procurement policies.

He also alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Kumar Verma was "removed" because he was looking into the documents pertaining to the deal that could "nail" Modi.

"It is obvious that there is enough material in public domain to nail Modi," he said alleging that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's recent visit to France was a part of a cover-up which the Modi government was indulging in to prevent the truth from coming out.

Gandhi also said that Modi was "terrified" and would never agree for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the deal. 

“The Rafale-scam was exposed by Rahul Gandhi in the Parliament and certain questions were asked regarding the Rafale-deal with French Govt, but till day the Defence Minister couldn’t clarify the Rafale-deal related questions to save Modi and Ambani”, Birjit Sinha told media earlier.

On the background of the protest, Assam Congress leader Sushmita Deb on August 31st,2018 while addressing media here in Agartala said, “The Rafale-scam was exposed by Rahul Gandhi in the Parliament and certain questions were asked regarding the Rafale-deal with French Govt, but till day the Defence Minister couldn’t clarify the Rafale-deal related questions”. “Anil Ambani who had been the chairman of Reliance Group told Congress leaders recently if any wrong data about Reliance company is placed in the press meets, then his lawyer will file cases against us. But we have data. 10th April 2015 PM Modi announced that he made a deal with French Govt on Rafale plane and 36 planes were reserved in this deal. But what surprising matter is that during UPA Govt’s time 12 Dec, 2012, total 126 planes were negotiated at the cost of Rs. 526.10 crores (per plane), whereas Modi’s deal costs Rs. 1670.70 crores (per plane)”, Dev said.

“From 2012 to 2015 how the price increased three times ?? But after the deal PM Modi announced that the figure of the cost are same as 2012”, Sushmita Dev added.

“When Rahul Gandhi asked, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman about the price, the Defence Minister said said for the security issues the planes’ costs can not be said. She (Sitaraman) also said, in 2008’s deal it was written that no specific data can be given in Lok Sabha whereas in 2008 Congress Govt itself did the deal when was in power”, she said.

“But in Congress’s era when asked about Sukhoi aircraft’s prices, Congress replied to the opposition’s questions in the parliament. But today Nirmala Sitaraman is saving PM Modi from the exposure of that scam and thus not telling the Lok Sabha about Rafale’s price. Price is not confidential issue, has no link with safety of country”, she added.

Showing data further Sushmita Dev claimed, the scam was done to fill the pockets of Ambani.

"Anil Ambani has Rs. 45,000 crore debt. He formed the company 10 days before the deal. In his letter, Mr Ambani said all 36 Rafale jets will be manufactured in France and exported. Not a single component" will be manufactured by Reliance”.