Smriti Irani takes on Congress & Rahul after SC's Rafale verdicts

After the Supreme Court dismissed the review petitions in the Rafale case on Thursday, taking to Twitter, Union Minister Smriti Irani hit out at Congress and its former President Rahul Gandhi and said hopefully the Congress Party and its former president will stop spreading lies and will contribute positively towards nation building and security of the country. He also said that the Supreme Court's verdict has once again confirmed the determination of PM Modi and his government on national security.

'Congress and Rahul Gandhi should stop spreading lies'

'Proof of the government's transparency'

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on hit out at Congress after the SC dismissed review petitions in Rafale case and said that the verdict is a proof of the NDA Government's transparency in decision making. "I welcome the Supreme Court's categorical dismissal of the review petitions in the Rafale case. The NDA Government stands vindicated. The transparency of our government's decision making has been proved by the Supreme Court," he told ANI.

"The purchase of Rafale jets was done in a completely transparent manner, keeping in mind the urgency to update and upgrade India's defence preparedness. The issues pertaining to defence preparedness and national security should never be politicised," Singh said.

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Rafale deal verdict

The apex court rejected the plea that there was a need for registration of an FIR in connection with the Rafale deal. The five-judge bench comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justices S K Kaul, and KM Joseph pronounced the contentious judgment. Justice Kaul, pronouncing the judgment said that the Court found "no merit" in the review petition. The Supreme Court further said, "This Court did not think it appropriate to embark on the roving and fishing enquiry." In May 2019, a three-judge bench had reserved verdict in the petition seeking review of the earlier December 14 judgment on the government-to-government deal to procure 36 Rafale aircraft.

READ | Never politicise defence & national security: Rajnath Singh extols Rafale transparency

During the Rafale hearing, the Supreme Court had looked into three aspects of the deal - the decision-making process, the pricing and the choice of the Indian offset partner. It had found no occasion to doubt the decision-making process and said it didn't find anything wrong in the selection of Indian offset partner by manufacturer Dassault. On the third criterion, it had said it wasn't its job to go into the pricing aspects.

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