The CPI Friday said that a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale fighter jet deal will bring the truth out, hours after the Supreme Court dismissed petitions challenging the multi-billion defence pact between India and France.
"Parliament is supreme in our democracy. All opposition parties have been demanding a JPC probe into the Rafale fighter jet deal. Why cannot the government agree on a JPC probe? After all, the issue is related to the country's security. Let there be a JPC probe and the truth will come out," D Raja, national secretary of the CPI, said.
"I don't know how the Supreme Court can come to such a conclusion," he said.
CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said the Supreme Court order is not a clean chit to the government.
"Technical know how may be confidential but the price paid by the government is taxpayers' money. Taxpayers have right to know what was the price paid by the government," Reddy said.
Earlier in the day, a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi dismissed the pleas challenging the deal between India and France for procurement of 36 Rafale jets, saying there was no occasion to "really doubt the process" warranting setting aside of the contract.