Nabi attacks govt over Rafale deal

The Rafale deal question is being raised by the Opposition because the deal, which was made during the tenure of the UPA government, was terminated without a cabinet decision and other concerned committees, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Thursday in Raipur.

He was speaking at the Rajiv Bhawan, while on a visit to Chhattisgarh.

Azad said the Congress had flagged the 'Make in India' concept in 2012 with the deal through technology transfer of 126 Rafale fighters, called through international tender and rate negotiation of Rs 526 crore.

Twenty six fighters were to be delivered while the rest were supposed to be made by HAL. Azad said local engineers would have been able to learn how to design it, but as per the deal, only 36 fighters will be delivered, that too at a higher cost of Rs 1617 crore.

During Atal Behari Vajpayee's tenure there was democracy as the media had freedom and everyone was heard out.

He said that during Congress rule, media used to speak more about the issues raised by the Opposition and not many raised by the government.

So, now the government has something to hide and that is why the Congress has the need to move around the country to raise issues through media, he said.

He said the government does not respond to any of the issues raised in the Opposition and no probe is conducted into such issues.

Azad said that it seems the government is moving towards dictatorship. If this continues, then the democracy will be lost. He urged intellectuals to come forward to make a change.