Congress would have investigated Rafael deal by national commission: Sharma

Sharma attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deal, alleging that "he favored a private company with no experience in the defense sector and which was formed just 12 days ahead of the deal."

Reiterating the Congress' demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Rafael aircraft deal, senior party leader Anand Sharma Wednesday said his party would have it investigated by a 'national commission'.

Sharma attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deal, alleging that "he favored a private company with no experience in the defense sector and which was formed just 12 days ahead of the deal."

Terming the Rafael deal as the "biggest defense scam ever", he said all legal formalities were breached to favor a private company that was given contract ignoring the expertise of an experienced Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in the defense sector.

He also accused the Union government of misusing the central agencies like CBI and ED to settle political scores.

He said the government has created an atmosphere of fear among the people and those raising their voices against it are being targeted by the agencies to muffle their voices.

Stating that Modi had earlier questioned former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2014 over rising prices of diesel and petrol and the depreciation of rupees against US dollar, Sharma said the fuel prices are hovering today at the level where it was during Singh's tenure.

It's the NDA government in power now and Modi must answer as to why the value of Indian rupees had fallen so steeply and why the fuel prices are skyrocketing.