Sep 23, 2018 21:37:08 (IST)
PM owes explanation on Rafale deal: CPI
The CPI urged PM Modi to "come clean" on the Rafale deal and explain why a private firm was selected as an offset partner for a French aerospace firm instead of the state-run HAL.
Insisting that Modi was "instrumental" in clinching the deal, CPI National Secretary D Raja said he owed an explanation and his 'silence' led to strong apprehensions that the government was hiding something.
PM Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after holding talks with then French president Francois Hollande on April 10, 2015 in Paris.
"The Prime Minister has to talk. He was directly involved in the deal. The fundamental question is why HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd) was left out and they chose Reliance Defence," Mr Raja was quoted by news agency PTI.