Oppn dubs Rafale deal a scam, demands JPC

Dubbing the Rafale fighter jet deal as a "scam", opposition parties in Lok Sabha on Tuesday demanded a probe into it, with the Congress demanding the setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate it.

The demand for a JPC was raised in the Lok Sabha by Congress MP K C Venugopal when he initiated the debate on the Supplementary Demand for Grants for 2018-19 and the demand for excess grants for 2015-16.

He said the House should know about the cost of the Rafale deal and alleged that there was "a major scam".

"We demand a JPC inquiry into this deal," he said.

Objecting to his demand, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey urged Deputy Speaker M Thambi Durai that Venugopal should place the evidence before the House before making any "wild allegation". Later, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy also said that the Rafale deal was "one of the biggest scandals of independent India."

"The country is going to lose Rs 2,500 crore due to Rafale deal," Roy said while demanding a "full-fledged enquiry" into the fighter jet deal.