(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Former defence minister and current Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is suffering from pancreatic cancer, knows a 'whole lot of things about the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal, the Congress party said yesterday.
Asked to substantiate an allegation by Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar that the Bharatiya Janata Party national leadership had not been able to replace the Parrikar as chief minister because the ailing leader knew 'dirty secrets about the Rafale deal, Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said as the defence minister when the deal was being worked out, Parrikar 'knows a whole lot of things.
'He had refused to endorse the completely conspiratorial decision to enrich Dassault Aviation at the cost of state exchequer, Surjewala said, adding: 'Now that the facts are out in the open, questions should be asked to Parrikar and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi.
The Congress has been demanding the resignation of Parrikar as the chief minister because of his ill health. Chodankar has repeatedly claimed that BJP president Amit Shah and Modi were unable to get Parrikar to resign, as the former defence minister knew several secrets linked to the Rafale deal.
Addressing a press conference, Surjewala also alleged that Parrikar had on several occasions resisted the prime minister's attempts to inflate the benchmark price for purchase of Rafale jets from France's Dassault Aviation.
Surjewala said Parrikar, as well as the Defence Acquisition Council, which comprises the defence minister and the three service chiefs, had refused to endorse the increase in the benchmark price for the fighter aircraft from €5.2bn to €9.2bn, but Modi had powered through with the deal on his own.
'The file was sent to Parrikar. He refused to endorse the higher price of €8.2b. He took it to the Defence Acquisition Council which was then headed by then defence minister Manohar Parrikar and the three service chiefs. They also refused to endorse the increase of €3bn, he claimed.
'Finally, the file was sent, as it is, to the CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security) headed by PM. Modi there ensured that the benchmark price was increased by €3bn or Rs23,000 crore. Why did he do so against the advice of his own defence minister Manohar Parrikar, Surjewala asked.
Parrikar served as the defence minister from 2014 to 17.
Surjewala also said the Congress will raise the issue of ailing Parrikar's continuance in power and the impending 'constitutional crisis in BJP-ruled Goa in parliament.
The Congress leader demanded the convening of a special session of the Goa Assembly while daring the BJP-led coalition government in Goa to prove its majority in a floor test.
'We are going to nationally put pressure on the BJP and the central government. If necessary, we will move the President of India. We will also raise the issue inside the parliament in the forthcoming winter session and we will say that Goa is the most classic case of a fraud being played on the Constitution of India by the governor and the BJP government, Surjewala said.
'This will clear all doubts about who is in charge in Goa and the floor test will determine as to which party has the rightful claim to head a democratic government in people's interest, he added.
Surjewala said the coastal state was suffering from a 'complete breakdown of constitutional machinery.
The opposition, as well ruling coalition allies have been demanding Parrikar's resignation, claiming that the administration has come to a standstill due to his absence.
Yesterday, Deepak Dhavalikar, president of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, a member of the ruling alliance, demanded that Parrikar step down and appoint a replacement.
'The central committee of the party has resolved to urge the government to find a replacement for Parrikar, who is ill, at the earliest, Dhavaliakar said.
'Because of his illness, the administration has been paralysed for eight months. He should hand over charge to someone else as soon as possible.
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