Jaitley runs away from JPC on Rafale deal, rejects Rahul’s demand in Parliament

Responding to an aggressive attack by Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Parliament earlier in the day, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has questioned the Opposition’s demand of constituting a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal.

“When the Supreme Court has gone through pricing and other details, how can there be JPC? This is no policy matter, or government or an administrative matter,” Jaitley said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The 36-fighter jet Rafale deal was taken up for debate in Parliament, as disorderly scenes were witnessed in both houses of Parliament, resulting in Lok Sabha being adjourned twice.

Defending the Narendra Modi government against allegations of nepotism in awarding the deal to Reliance Defence, the Union Finance Minister said, “Under the policy, 30-50 per cent materials had to be bought from India. Reliance is an offset supplier. How could offset be of ₹1,30,000 crore then?”

During the debate, Jaitley also responded to a recent audio tape that allegedly indicates that sensitive documents on the fighter jet deal could be stowed in the office of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar.

In a scathing attack on the Prime Minister, the Congress President had earlier in the day accused Modi of being scared to appear in Parliament, saying that he “does not have the guts.”

The Congress President had also sought permission to play the tape mentioning Parrikar’s name in Rajya Sabha but was reportedly denied permission by the Speaker.