Hyderabad: TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy has alleged that the BJP Government at the Centre indulged in a scam of over Rs 41,000 crore in the purchase of Rafale fighter aircraft.
Addressing the media at Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said he was IAF fighter pilot for several years flying MIG 21 and MIG 23 and served on China and Pakistan borders in Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and Assam and Siachin Glacier. He said he can say the behaviour of the BJP Government at the Centre with regard to Rafale fighter aircraft was suspicious.
Expressing surprise over Prime Minister Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Seetharaman saying that the price of the aircraft was a secret, the TPCC chief said the operational details like weapons carried on aircraft, radar range, and weapons’ range could be a secret. But not the price of the aircraft, he said the purchase price was a common knowledge. But the operational details like weaponry, range, performance of radar, missiles or rockets were secret in some cases. But never after independence, has the purchase price been secret, he said.
A public sector undertaking HAL was bypassed in Rs 36,000 crore offset contract and the contract was awarded to Anil Ambani’s company with zero experience of manufacturing fighter aircraft. He said the ‘Agreement between India and French Republic concerning the protection of Classified Information and Material in the Field of Defence’ signed between the two countries on January 25, 2008, during the Congress-UPA does not mention that ‘Commercial Cost’ of Procurement of Defence Deals cannot be revealed.
AICC Telangana Incharge R.C. Khuntia and other senior leaders were also present. (NSS)