Govt Likely to Table CAG Report on Rafale Deal in Parliament Today

The government is scheduled to table the CAG report on Rafale jet fighter deal in Parliament on Tuesday, sources told PTI.

On 11 February, Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) sent a new report on the controversial Rafale deal to the President and Finance Ministry.

The report, titled 'Capital Acquisitions of Air Force', contains details of acquisitions and deals, including the 'Rafale aircraft deal' as one of 12 chapters.

• Congress has raised objections to CAG Rajiv Mehrishi, who had served as the finance secretary when the Rafale deal was signed, investigating his own role
• Congress leader Kapil Sibal has asked for recusal of Mehrishi from CAG report
• In a press conference, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said the PMO was directly involved in Rafale negotiations

Catch all the earlier updates on Rafale deal controversy here.

Also Read: Govt to Table CAG Report on Rafale in Parliament on 12 Feb: Report

Opposition Steps Up Attack, Says Modi Will Be 'Accused No One'

Stepping up its attack on the government over the Rafale deal, Congress on Monday, 11 February, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have been the "number one accused" if the long-awaited anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal had been in place and even his "broad shoulders" cannot bear the "bullets of corruption".

The attack came from Congress and other opposition parties at multiple platforms, including inside Parliament, at a day-long fast by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu seeking a special status for his state and during a Lucknow roadshow by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The CPI(M) asked the Supreme Court to revisit its earlier ruling on the Rafale matter and sought a high-level probe to get to bottom of what it described as a "scam", while BSP supremo Mayawati accused the government of ignoring national security for the sake of 'chowkidar' (watchman), a barb often used by the Opposition for the prime minister.

Govt Likely to Table CAG Report on Tuesday

The government is scheduled to table the CAG report on Rafale jet fighter deal, which has generated a massive political controversy, in Parliament Tuesday, sources said.

The government's decision to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from French company Dassault has become a controversial political issue, with the main opposition party Congress levelling allegations of corruption and impropriety, and the ruling dispensation defending the move.

The CAG report will be tabled on Tuesday, a day before the end of the present Lok Sabha session. This is the last session of the 16th Lok Sabha as the general elections are due in April-May.

Former minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday alleged conflict of interest and asked the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi to recuse himself from auditing the deal as he was the finance secretary when the deal was negotiated.

Union Minister Arun Jaitley, however, rebutted the claims of Sibal saying that the Congress was casting aspersions on the institution of CAG based on "falsehood".