Rahul alleges 'scam' in Rafale deal

Congress President Rahul Gandhi alleged a "scam" Tuesday in the Rafael deal, after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman refused to disclose details of the deal on Monday.

"For the first time, the defence minister is saying that we will not share details of money spent on buying the aircraft...I spoke during the Gujarat polls that there is a scam (in the Rafale deal). Modi ji has personally got the deal done," PTI quoted Gandhi as telling reporters outside Parliament.

"Modi ji had personally gone to Paris. Personally the deal was changed. The entire India knows it. And the defence minister is saying she will not inform India, the Indian martyrs and their relatives about the money spent on buying those aircraft. What does this mean? This only means there is some scam," Gandhi added.

Sitharaman had told Parliament on Monday that the government cannot disclose details of the fighter jet deal because of a secrecy pact between the governments of India and France.

Her response was to a written question in Rajya Sabha by Samajwadi Party member Naresh Agrawal, who had asked whether the government did not want to disclose in public domain the agreement between India and France for purchasing the aircraft.

Leaders of the Congress and Samajwadi party had sought disclosure of the amount being paid in the present deal.

The Congress has alleged that the price paid for the jets by the NDA government is higher than that finalised by the UPA in the previous deal.

Sitharaman was also asked whether there was any involvement of a private sector company in the deal, to which she clarified that neither any public sector nor private sector company was included in the agreement.

Sitharaman further added that the deal has been finalised at an amount lower than the earlier deal.