Hollande remarks questionable: Jaitley

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 23

In what is the first rebuttal to former French President Francois Hollande, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, through a Facebook post on Sunday, termed his statement as ‘questionable’ and added that ‘circumstances and facts’ demolish the claims.

Two days ago, Hollande had said Reliance Defence’s ‘partnership’ with Dassault Aviation was entered at the suggestion of the Government of India. Since then, the Congress and the BJP have been engaged in a war of words. Jaitley’s Facebook post is the first rebuttal to Hollande and his claims.

Dassault is the maker of Rafale fighter jets and India has ordered 36 jets at a cost of Rs 58,000 crore. Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence is the Indian partner of Dassault and its selection, ignoring the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is being questioned by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. 

“A controversy is sought to be created on the basis of a statement made by former French President Francois Hollande,” Jaitley said in his post. He questioned Hollande, saying “Truth cannot have two versions”. 

The minister said Hollande had stated that the Indian Government suggested Reliance Defence for ‘partnership’ with Dassault Aviation. In a subsequent statement, the former President has sought to suggest that Reliance Defence emerged on the scene after the agreement with the Indian Government was entered into. Hollande, in another subsequent statement, reported by international news agency AFP, said he was ‘not aware’ if the government ever lobbied for Reliance Defence and that ‘the partners chose themselves’. 

Jaitley goes on to question Hollande saying “it may be mentioned that the former French President, Hollande, is countering a statement made against him with regard to a conflict of interest in his (own) dealing with Reliance Defence”. Jaitley was indirectly referring to media reports that Anil Ambani’s companies funded the film production of Hollande’s partner Julie Gayet. 

Jaitley said there was no ‘partnership’, as suggested by the former President, with regard to the 36 Rafale jets to be supplied by Dassault Aviation to India. It was a government-to-government pact under which the weaponised aircraft are to come to the IAF. No manufacturing is to be done in India. It is, therefore, erroneous for anybody to suggest that there is a ‘partnership’ in the supply of the 36 Rafale jets. The Indian partner was selected entirely by Dassault Aviation and neither the French Government and nor the Indian Government has any say in the matter, he said.

Meanwhile, the Congress will petition the Central Vigilance Commission tomorrow on the issue. It has earlier approached the CAG.

‘Stop lying, time to call JPC probe’

Jetlie’s speciality is his ability to spin ‘2 truths’, or lies, with fake self righteousness & indignation to defend the indefensible. It’s high time he, the RM & our PM stop lying and call a JPC to establish the full, uncorrupted truth about #RafaleScam. —Rahul Gandhi, Congress President

‘PM Modi complicit in the scam’

The PM the procurement procedure by unilaterally deciding to buy jets while a pact negotiated by the erstwhile Cong govt for 126 jets was on his table. He struck a new deal of which he only told Ambani. He is complicit in the scam.— Anand Sharma, Cong Leader