Rafale deal: Government not to satisfy ego of 'ill-informed' Congress leaders

The government on Wednesday rejected the Congress demand for an investigation by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) or the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) into the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets, saying such inquiries should not be driven by political considerations.

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad strongly criticised the Congress leadership after a party delegation led by former Defence Minister A.K. Antony met the CAG and submitted a memorandum seeking an “urgent probe” into the Rafale deal.

Prasad said parliamentary or constitutional institutions should not be used to satisfy what he described as the political ego of an “ill-informed” leader. His comments came amid a renewed political confrontation between the BJP-led government and the Congress over the fighter jet agreement.

The minister also questioned Antony’s decision to lead the delegation, pointing out that he had served as Defence Minister for eight years under the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

Prasad argued that Antony had been in charge when decisions concerning defence modernisation and the offset policy were taken. He also alleged that the former Defence Minister had failed to adequately advance joint operations involving Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

“Antony has a lot to answer,” Prasad said, adding that the Congress should explain its own record on defence preparedness before questioning the current government.

The BJP leader also linked the Rafale controversy to the wider issue of India's ageing fighter fleet. He said the Indian Air Force urgently needed new aircraft as several older planes had been involved in accidents, resulting in the loss of pilots.

The political dispute comes against the backdrop of growing debate over defence procurement, transparency and the modernisation of India's armed forces. While the Congress has sought greater scrutiny of the Rafale agreement, the government has maintained that the deal was necessary to address critical operational requirements of the Air Force.

Prasad urged the opposition party to put national security ahead of political differences and questioned whether the Congress should not support efforts to strengthen India's defence capabilities.

“Should the Congress at least not rise to the occasion for the sake of the country's safety and security?” he asked.