Why is BJP shying away from a JPC on the Rafale deal ?

Why is the BJP not ready to accept a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the Rafale deal, pointedly asks the former Raksha Mantri AK Antony.

“We (UPA) were ready for a JPC probe in the Agusta Westland VVIP Helicopter deal although we had a thin majority in the Lok Sabha. But the BJP, despite having a brute majority in the Lok Sabha is not ready for a JPC on the Rafale deal,” exclaimed the former defence minister at a media briefing in the national capital on Monday.

“The chairman of the JPC will be from the BJP. A majority of the members of the JPC will be from the BJP because it has a majority on its own in the Lok Sabha. And yet it is not ready to allow a JPC to inquire into the Rafale deal,” pointed out Mr. Antony.

The reason, he explained, was that the JPC would have the power to summon all the concerned officials for questioning and call for all the relevant files.

As Defence Minister, he recalled, he had offered a JPC inquiry on the Agusta Westland Helicopter deal, an offer which the BJP had then turned down. Pointing out that the 12 helicopters were meant for VVIP movement and not for strategic or operational requirements, Mr. Antony said that the helicopter was was finalized by officials from the Air Force, Special protection Group (SPG) and the Defence Ministry. It was not a political decision but a decision made by officials, he said. The Contract negotiating Committee also comprised officials from security agencies, SPG, Air Force and the Defence Ministry.

Recalling that he as Defence Minister had cancelled the order soon after reports emerged in Italy about whiffs of corruption, he said that he had ordered a CBI inquiry and took the decision to fight a legal case in Milan (Italy) against the company. The Indian Government not only won the case but also recovered the entire sum of money that it had paid to the company by way of advance payment etc.

“During our Government; we took decisions to black list six companies, very powerful companies in the world, one American Company, one German Company, one Israeli Company, one Russian Company, one Singaporean Company and one Indian Company. Our Government showed the courage of conviction and commitment to fight against corruption…but the BJP is not even willing to accept a JPC probe,” he went on to add.

Denying BJP’s allegation that the then Congress President and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had influenced the deal, Mr. Antony said that during his entire term as Raksha Mantri, neither Sonia Gandhi nor Rahul Gandhi had interfered or shown any interest in defence deals.