‘Daal Mein Kuchh Kaala Hai’: Manmohan Singh smells a rat in Rafale deal

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday launched a rare but scathing attack on his successor Narendra Modi over the alleged irregularities in the controversial Rafale deal. Smelling a rate, Singh said that people of the country are suspicious about the Rafale deal and Modi government is not ready for the probe.

“The people of the country are suspicious of the Rafale deal, the opposition and various groups are demanding a joint parliamentary committee, but Modi government isn’t ready for it. Isse pata lagta hai daal mai kuchh kaala hai. (This tells something is not right about the deal),” ANI quoted Singh as saying.

Also Read | Rafale Deal: Supreme Court reserves order on petitions seeking probe into agreement

The Opposition parties-led by Congress president Rahul Gandhi have been demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe (JPC) into the controversial Rafale fighter aircraft deal signed between the Government of India (GoI) and France.

However, the Modi government looked reluctant and denied the probe. In a document filed before the court, the Centre claimed that the process laid down in the Defence Procurement Procedure-2013 was followed in the procurement of the Rafale aircraft.

Earlier in this month, the Supreme Court had reserved its order on petitions seeking court-monitored probe into the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France.  A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph concluded the arguments advanced by various parties which have also sought registration of FIR in connection with the alleged irregularities in the deal.

Also Read | Rafale Deal: CCS approval was taken, due process followed, government tells petitioners

The government opposed the judicial review of the controversial Rafale deal in the Supreme Court. Appearing for the Centre, Attorney General KK Venugopal told the court that the matter was to be determined by the defence experts and can't be reviewed judicially.