This Article is From Dec 14, 2018

All Campaigns Against Rafale Deal Must End Now: Ravi Shankar Prasad

The entire Rafale deal was completely fair, transparent and honest, said Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

All Campaigns Against Rafale Deal Must End Now: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Country's strategic interest is more important, said Ravi Shankar Prasad.

New Delhi:

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's judgement in the Rafale fighter jet deal and urged that all campaigns against the Rafale deal must end now as the country's strategic interest is more important.

The top court dismissed all the petitions seeking a direction to the CBI to register an FIR for alleged irregularities in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France and said there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the multi-billion dollar defence deal.

"I am very happy that today the Supreme Court has given the decision, upholding the entire Rafale deal.

"...I would only urge one thing, that all campaigns against Rafale must end now because the country's strategic interest is more important," Mr Prasad said.

He further said that the country needed effective fighter planes to reinforce the strength of the Air Force. "This has been pending for a long time."

"The entire deal was completely fair, transparent and honest," Mr Prasad added.

The Congress has been alleging that the government had put pressure on Dassault Aviation to select Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence Limited (RDL) as its offset partner. The government, Reliance Defence Limited and Dassault Aviation rejected the charges.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi said there is a necessity for fighter aircraft and the country cannot remain without the jets.

The CJI, who read out the judgement for the three-judge bench, said no reasons were found to interfere in the procurement process for the fighter jets.

The verdict was pronounced on a batch of pleas seeking a court-monitored probe into the deal.

Disclaimer: NDTV has been sued for 10,000 crores by Anil Ambani's Reliance Group for its coverage of the Rafale deal.

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