The senior Congress leader said that BJP's argument of the documents being "stolen" flies in the face of the Constitutional right that ensures freedom of speech.
Govt wants to invoke the Official Secrets Act in the case of the ‘stolen’ Rafale papers, but the Supreme Court has said it can’t ‘hide’ behind the act.
The Editors Guild of India issued a statement calling on the government to refrain from attempting to undermine the independence of media in reporting on the Rafale deal.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi responded to PM Narendra Modi’s poster jibe, and pressed forward the corruption charge by demanding a probe in the Rafale deal.
For all their colonial underpinnings, postcards from Hyderabad also inadvertently preserve a trace of local memory: a glimpse of a street, a face, a forgotten name.
Indian toymakers are now exploring new markets, but they want govt to negotiate a trade deal with US soon, introduce incentives and subsidies to make the industry more competitive.
The project is meant to be a ‘protective shield that will keep expanding’, the PM said. It is on the lines of the ‘Golden Dome’ announced by Trump, it is learnt.
Now that both IAF and PAF have made formal claims of having shot down the other’s aircraft in the 87-hour war in May, we can ask a larger question: do such numbers really matter?
The Rafale deal would not have gone to the court, if only the govt were less adamant and agreed to for a joint parliamentary committee to examine the deal. The govt should have taken opposition into confidence about the deal. The details, like price, procedure followed in deciding it, could have been divulged to a committee of opposition parties on oath of secrecy. Such an amicable approach would have avoided all the unseemly atmosphere that has been created now. The govt is still not relenting. I feel it would make a big fool of itself.
Mr modi is setting up congress i specially rahul gandhi. Rahul gandhi is banking his entire career on rafale. Just before the ekwction he will relase the documents and take away the only thing he has to fight . Like he set up iaf role . Earler bjp was reacting to all jibe from modi now congress is reacting to thw jibe by bkp. They have congress where they want him. As usual rahul gandhi is dum he dosent know that he is being led into trap. Hindu news paper which was earlier pro bjb mow has become anti bjp
I think that the AG has erred in linking the issue to Official Secrets Act. The fact as disclosed by him is that the documents were stolen. Stolen means what? Are the originals missing or someone has surreptitiously copied them? In either case, the government officials/employees who were complicit in such an act need to be acted upon, not the journalist or petitioners. However, this bypasses the main issue, which is whether the ‘stolen’ documents are admissible in the court of law. They can be, if they are established as genuine, with due circumspection and caution. The court cannot be seen as encouraging such an act of ‘stealth’ of defence related documents. The AG however, must insist that these documents must be considered with conjunction with the CAG report. The petitioners may make selective use of documents to suit their convenience, but the CAG has already examined the matter in its entirety. The AG must fight the case based on facts and data as revealed in the CAG data. Taking recourse to the Official Secrecy Act to defend the case is not at all desirable. I must state that the Hindu articles are highly opinionated, one sided and based on wrong arithmetic. These are solely based on the minority opinion, without taking into account the arguments made by majority in support of the various decision made by the government. These articles, by no stretch of any imagination, establish criminality or corruption. I may quote one simple point. The government insisted in having 50% offset instead of statutory 30%. The Indian economy through the enhanced business activities of more than 30 Indian partners is certainly going to be benefited. How to factor in this benefit? In contrast, in case of acquisition of S-400 Russian missiles, costing about Rs.39000 crore (not an insignificant amount), offset is completely waived! No one is criticizing that decision! The Hindu is frowning on the waiver of bank guarantee cost, which was to be borne by the French company in the initial bid. But this amount was not, I repeat, was not included in the origin cost. Had some part of this benefit been passed on to India, this could have further lowered the price in the NDA deal. However, this doesn’t mean that NDA deal was not better than the UPA bid price. This conclusion is logically wrong. There could be plethora of opinions about how the deal should have been bargained. No legal action can be initiated based on such opinions. If we do that, this will contribute to fear psychosis and halt future acquisitions of defence equipments.
It is always possible to separate operational matters, like the technical specifications of a weapons system, from purely commercial terms and conditions, which are even otherwise subject to normal CAG audit. Whether or not a bank guarantee should be obtained, and sharing at least half the savings if the manufacturer is not obliged to provide it, this is something that belongs in the public domain. Precedent is important in governance. This deal should be dealt with the way all others have in the past.
India has always been subjected to the intrest divergence when it come to selection of nation interest and the politicial interest. Perspective of political parties has always been to retain power rather than making nation powerful. Rafale is the need of hour with Indian Airforce depleting airpower . Country’s first question should rather be why even after 19 year of Airforce demand we still dont have 4th gen MMCA? But unfortunately this question doesnt draw any incentive so no is bothered. IAF is still flying “coffins” with pride and that too again adversaries advance 4 and 4.5 generation jets. However there is a need to define some gray area for media and the defence procurement details. As the details of defense Deals not only affect the national interest but also could affect future procurement deal under government to government deals. Things covered under “secret act” is not individual secret that a person is hiding infact its national secret that need to be retained. However certain time period for secret claues has to be mentioned so the matter concerning it can be addressed once the due period get over. Even in current case political parties are involed in mudslinging not because they are worried about depleting IAF strength but its a anxiety for power or to be in power. Howsoever there has been many if and buts in the stand shown by the government which should have been addressed at the right time and right place.
The Rafale deal would not have gone to the court, if only the govt were less adamant and agreed to for a joint parliamentary committee to examine the deal. The govt should have taken opposition into confidence about the deal. The details, like price, procedure followed in deciding it, could have been divulged to a committee of opposition parties on oath of secrecy. Such an amicable approach would have avoided all the unseemly atmosphere that has been created now. The govt is still not relenting. I feel it would make a big fool of itself.
Mr modi is setting up congress i specially rahul gandhi. Rahul gandhi is banking his entire career on rafale. Just before the ekwction he will relase the documents and take away the only thing he has to fight . Like he set up iaf role . Earler bjp was reacting to all jibe from modi now congress is reacting to thw jibe by bkp. They have congress where they want him. As usual rahul gandhi is dum he dosent know that he is being led into trap. Hindu news paper which was earlier pro bjb mow has become anti bjp
I think that the AG has erred in linking the issue to Official Secrets Act. The fact as disclosed by him is that the documents were stolen. Stolen means what? Are the originals missing or someone has surreptitiously copied them? In either case, the government officials/employees who were complicit in such an act need to be acted upon, not the journalist or petitioners. However, this bypasses the main issue, which is whether the ‘stolen’ documents are admissible in the court of law. They can be, if they are established as genuine, with due circumspection and caution. The court cannot be seen as encouraging such an act of ‘stealth’ of defence related documents. The AG however, must insist that these documents must be considered with conjunction with the CAG report. The petitioners may make selective use of documents to suit their convenience, but the CAG has already examined the matter in its entirety. The AG must fight the case based on facts and data as revealed in the CAG data. Taking recourse to the Official Secrecy Act to defend the case is not at all desirable. I must state that the Hindu articles are highly opinionated, one sided and based on wrong arithmetic. These are solely based on the minority opinion, without taking into account the arguments made by majority in support of the various decision made by the government. These articles, by no stretch of any imagination, establish criminality or corruption. I may quote one simple point. The government insisted in having 50% offset instead of statutory 30%. The Indian economy through the enhanced business activities of more than 30 Indian partners is certainly going to be benefited. How to factor in this benefit? In contrast, in case of acquisition of S-400 Russian missiles, costing about Rs.39000 crore (not an insignificant amount), offset is completely waived! No one is criticizing that decision! The Hindu is frowning on the waiver of bank guarantee cost, which was to be borne by the French company in the initial bid. But this amount was not, I repeat, was not included in the origin cost. Had some part of this benefit been passed on to India, this could have further lowered the price in the NDA deal. However, this doesn’t mean that NDA deal was not better than the UPA bid price. This conclusion is logically wrong. There could be plethora of opinions about how the deal should have been bargained. No legal action can be initiated based on such opinions. If we do that, this will contribute to fear psychosis and halt future acquisitions of defence equipments.
It is always possible to separate operational matters, like the technical specifications of a weapons system, from purely commercial terms and conditions, which are even otherwise subject to normal CAG audit. Whether or not a bank guarantee should be obtained, and sharing at least half the savings if the manufacturer is not obliged to provide it, this is something that belongs in the public domain. Precedent is important in governance. This deal should be dealt with the way all others have in the past.
India has always been subjected to the intrest divergence when it come to selection of nation interest and the politicial interest. Perspective of political parties has always been to retain power rather than making nation powerful. Rafale is the need of hour with Indian Airforce depleting airpower . Country’s first question should rather be why even after 19 year of Airforce demand we still dont have 4th gen MMCA? But unfortunately this question doesnt draw any incentive so no is bothered. IAF is still flying “coffins” with pride and that too again adversaries advance 4 and 4.5 generation jets. However there is a need to define some gray area for media and the defence procurement details. As the details of defense Deals not only affect the national interest but also could affect future procurement deal under government to government deals. Things covered under “secret act” is not individual secret that a person is hiding infact its national secret that need to be retained. However certain time period for secret claues has to be mentioned so the matter concerning it can be addressed once the due period get over. Even in current case political parties are involed in mudslinging not because they are worried about depleting IAF strength but its a anxiety for power or to be in power. Howsoever there has been many if and buts in the stand shown by the government which should have been addressed at the right time and right place.