#RafaleDeal: Clean chit backfires; Opposition says Centre lied to SC
The Supreme Court, on Friday, had given the Centre a clean chit, dismissing a batch of petitions calling for a court-monitored probe into the Rafale deal. However, as it turns out, the SC verdict had been based on what appears to be a misrepresentation of facts by the Centre. Although the Centre has filed for a correction, controversy and outrage have already broken out.
The basis of the Supreme Court verdict
On Friday, the SC bench had said that it had found the Centre's decision-making process in the deal 'satisfactory'. The SC's decision had been based on filings by the Centre that claimed that a report on the deal's pricing by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had been submitted to and had been reviewed by the Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The all-important paragraph from the SC verdict
"The pricing details have, however, been shared with the Comptroller and Auditor General...and the report of the CAG has been examined by the Public Accounts Committee...Only a redacted portion of the report was placed before the Parliament, and is in public domain," reads an excerpt from the SC verdict.
Turns out, the basis itself was factually incorrect
Turns out, no such CAG report has been submitted to the PAC. Several PAC members, including PAC chairman Mallikarjun Kharge, BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, and Congress MP Rajeev Gowda have confirmed that no such report was submitted to the PAC, let alone reviewed by it. This, of course raises the question about whether the Centre deliberately misled the Supreme Court to avoid an inquiry.
PAC chairman: Centre lied to the Supreme Court
"Government lied in the SC that the CAG report was presented in the house and in PAC and PAC has probed it. Govt said in the SC it is in public domain. Where is it? Have you seen it? I am going to take this up with other members of PAC," said an incensed Kharge.
The Centre has filed an affidavit seeking factual corrections
Once questions were raised, the Centre responded by filing an affidavit in the SC on Saturday. In the affidavit, the Centre has claimed that the SC misinterpreted its filing, which had been submitted in a sealed cover. The affidavit claims that the Centre only highlighted the procedure, and did not say that the CAG report had already been reviewed by the PAC.
An excerpt from the Centre's petition
"...unfortunately, an element of misinterpretation of the statement made in the note/bullet points handed over on behalf of the Union of India in the sealed cover, appears to have crept in. This has also resulted in a controversy being raised in the public domain," reads the Centre's petition.
A political storm has broken out
What the Supreme Court makes of the Centre's submission remains to be seen, but in the meantime, a political storm has broken out. The BJP, which had taken the SC verdict as a vindication of the Modi government, had earlier demanded Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's apology for making allegations of corruption against PM Modi and the government.
Rajnath Singh demands apology from Rahul Gandhi
Congress has accused the NDA of undermining the Supreme Court
Armed with newfound evidence of shortcomings on the government's part, Rahul Gandhi has now hit back, alleging that PM Modi and his government deliberately lied to the Supreme Court to try and tilt the verdict in its favor. The Congress, meanwhile, has launched a scathing attack on PM Modi and the NDA government, alleging that they have undermined a sacrosanct institution - the Supreme Court.
