A day after a Congress leader demanded scrapping of the Rafale fighter aircraft deal, the Jammu and Kashmir BJP today accused the Congress of "fabricating lies" in a "desperate" bid to corner the NDA government ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year.
Terming the allegations over the deal "half-backed, false, misleading and confusing", it alleged that Congress' insistence on making the contents of the deal public was aimed at helping the intelligence agencies of China and Pakistan.
Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa had yesterday termed Rafale deal the "biggest scam in the country's defence sector post-Independence" and demanded its cancellation.
State BJP spokesperson Brigadier Anil Gupta (retd) said, "In a desperate bid to corner the Narendra Modi government prior to the 2019 polls, the Congress is fabricating lies and scams in the hope that it may succeed in maligning the image of the BJP-led NDA government."
He claimed the Congress which made a "record of scams" during UPA II, is "trying desperately" to paint the BJP with the same brush.
"Terming the Rafale deal a scam is an attempt of the Congress at mud-slinging, hoping that some mud would definitely stick and at least sow a seed of doubt in the mind of the gullible public before the 'do or die' elections for the party which is struggling for its survival," Gupta said, adding the Congress would never succeed in its "nefarious design".
Countering the allegation that a loss of Rs 41,205 crore has been caused to national exchequer in the deal, the BJP leader said till 2014, the then UPA government failed to negotiate the contract with the manufacturer due to difference of opinion in fulfilling certain conditions of the Request for Proposal (RFP) pertaining to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
He said the purchase of 36 aircraft in 'fly-away' condition is custom-made and includes a lethal weapon package, performance based logistical support (ensuring 75 per cent serviceability of fleet at all times), 13 India-specific capabilities, 50 per cent offset, supply of spares, servicing, training of pilots, and state of the art avionics.
"Also, the difference in value of dollar in 2012 and 2016 also needs to be kept in mind. You cannot compare apples and oranges, Gupta said, adding the present contract also includes five year maintenance guarantee.
He said Congress president Rahul Gandhi had to eat a humble pie on the floor of Parliament during the "no-confidence motion" debate on the issue of "secrecy clause" in the deal, which was also subsequently clarified by the French Ambassador.
"Still, Congress continues to rake up the issue just to mislead the people," Gupta said adding operational capability of a strategic platform depends on its configuration and no nation discloses it.
"By insisting for the same, Congress is trying to help the intelligence agencies of China and Pakistan," Gupta alleged.
On the allegation that the prime minister did not follow the laid down procedures and bypassed cabinet committee of security (CCS) while making the deal, the BJP leader said the panel had given clearance to the proposal of purchasing 36 aircraft on government to government basis prior to Modi's departure for Paris on April 9, 2015.
"All procedures laid down in Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016 for Inter-Government Agreement (IGA) have been meticulously followed," he said.
As regards favouring Reliance Defence, the BJP leader said, "IGA was signed between two sovereign governments. No private individual, entity or firm was involved from the Indian side. The procurement process also does not involve any Indian private company.
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