PMO acted like ‘middleman’ in Rafale deal: Cong

New Delhi, Feb 9: In a renewed attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government on Rafale deal, the Congress on Friday said the fresh documents on the deal that had come to light, made it clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his office were directly involved in negotiations on the deal and that the PMO was almost like a ‘middleman’ in the business transaction.
Talking to reporters after the Centre dismissed a media report that claimed that Defence Ministry officials had raised objections to the parallel negotiations by the Prime Minister’s Office with the French government in the Rafale deal, AICC Spokesperson Manish Tewari said, ‘The note, which has been released or leaked or put out through sources by the government, actually indicts the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister Office much-much more than even the original newspaper report, which has appeared today in the morning and it raises some very pertinent questions.’
With all due respects to him, Mr Parrikar has done the perfect number on the Prime Minister. He could not have nailed him better. Possibly, Mr Parrikar had an old score to settle and he settled it squarely.
‘It appears that the PMO and the French President’s office are monitoring the progress of the issue,’ he added.
‘This means that he does not know that the Prime Minister’s office is monitoring the progress, because there was no monitoring. This was a parallel negotiation! And if you read the note in its entirety, the Defence Ministry is telling PMO, stop this parallel negotiation.
‘You are completely and absolutely undermining our position and, therefore, you have this strange situation, whereby the Defence Minister does not even know that there is a parallel channel open between the PMO and somebody in the French government.
‘The fresh documents pertaining to Rafale that have come to light till now show that the PMO was constantly interfering in the whole process. The Defence Minister and ministry officials were ignored in the process.
‘The documents show that the PMO almost behaved like a middleman in the Defence transaction, the PM or the PMO should tell the country on whose behalf they were acting,’ he alleged.
Mr Tewari said that the note shows that former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar “washed his hands off the deal,” in order to save himself.
‘In the note, Mr Parrikar goes on to say,” it appears that the PMO and the French Presidents office are monitoring the progress of the issue, which was an outcome of the summit meeting.
‘Para 5 appears to be an over-reaction. The Defence Secretary may resolve issue/matter in consultation with the Principal Secretary to PM. So, what has Mr Parrikar done washed his hands off the matter. I am out of it, you Defence Secretary talk to the PS to the Prime Minister, and these guys are up to monkey business.
‘So, you know tomorrow there is going to be a problem and I am not going to be a part of it”. He completely and absolutely absolves himself of all responsibility. Whether that will hold in a court of law tomorrow, I do not know,’ Mr Tewari said.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday rejected Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s allegation, based on a media report that claimed the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) ran parallel negotiations with France, on the multi-billion Rafale fighter jet deal.
“A newspaper published a file noting written by Defence Secretary. If a newspaper publishes a noting, then the ethics of journalism will demand that the newspaper publishes the then Defence Minister’s reply as well,” Ms Sitharaman said.
“Then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar replied to that MoD note saying ‘remain calm, nothing to worry, everything is going alright.’ Now, what do you call the NAC led by Sonia Gandhi’s interference in earlier PMO? What was that,” the Defence Minister asked in the Lok Sabha.