New Delhi: To intensify its all-out attack on the Narendra Modi government over the Rafale deal, the Congress will raise the issue with the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the government’s auditor, on Wednesday and demand a thorough probe into the controversial fighter jet contract, party sources to news agency PTI said.
The Congress has alleged corruption in the deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France's Dassault Aviation.
It has alleged that the Modi government has caused a loss of over Rs 41,000 crore to the exchequer by paying a higher price for the aircraft than what was negotiated by the UPA.
On Tuesday, defence minister in the previous UPA government and senior Congress leader A K Antony accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of “suppressing facts” on the Rafale deal.
With Antony, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the CAG and Central Vigilance Committee (CVC) are bound by their constitutional duty to look at the entire deal and all its papers - whether or not somebody moves them.
"Congress Party at an appropriate time also intends to move an appropriate petition before CVC and CAG to expeditiously and quickly adhere to their constitutional duties," Surjewala said.
The Congress has asked why the government was not setting up a joint parliamentary committee to probe the fighter jet deal.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, however, rejected the demand saying all the details on it have already been placed before Parliament.
