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Updated: Dec 14, 2018 17:50 IST

The ruling BJP has rolled out its big guns for rapid-fire attacks on the Congress and its chief Rahul Gandhi after the Supreme Court’s dismissed petitions that sought a CBI probe into the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets by the government.

Hours after BJP chief Amit Shah demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his campaign against the government over the Rafale deal, the BJP-led government fielded Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to deliver a stinging takedown of the Congress.

Jaitley also unequivocally also rejected the Congress’ demand to set up a joint parliamentary committee of lawmakers to investigate the deal.

“The deaf will never hear an answer,” he said.

Jaitley, who had earlier held the defence portfolio, said the JPC, which comprises lawmakers, was not the right forum to look into the deal; a judicial body such as the Supreme Court was.

“Investigations and review of this kind can never be done by a body capable of partisan divisions,” he said, recalling that a JPC constituted to look into allegations of corruption in the Bofors case too “had split on partisan lines”.

Read | ‘No roving inquiry over perceptions’: Supreme Court rejects Rafale probe demand

In its response to Friday’s court verdict, the Congress had underlined that it had always believed that the Supreme Court was not equipped to inquire into such charges since it would involve an elaborate examination of related files.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/supreme-court-verdict-on-rafale-deal-full-judgement/story-FcR8Pl6AuHAQggwtSrKjnN.html

“If they have nothing to hide, I challenge Modi ji and his government to submit to a JPC probe which will question and go into the corruption in the defence deal,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

Read | Supreme Court not right forum to decide on Rafale probe, Congress demands JPC examination

Just as Amit Shah had done a few hours earlier, Arun Jaitley and Nirmala Sitharaman also kept their attacks sharply focused on Congress president Rahul Gandhi who has led the opposition campaign accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of corruption.

Jaitley said there was a fundamental difference between truth and falsehood that he said, was being spread by the Congress president.

Read | ‘Rahul must apologise’: SC verdict powers BJP counter-attack over Rafale

“Truth holds together, Falsehood falls apart. Falsehood also has a short life. In this case, it was a few months. Falsehood lowers the credibility of its creator. The Rafale issue had each of these features,” the finance minister said.

“The disruptors have lost. They have lost on all counts. They have lost on the count that the need for this aircraft was acute and necessary. The Indian Air Force needed it and therefore, somebody has to answer a question that after shortlisting this purchase... why was it virtually stopped, if not abandoned in 2012. Why was national security, needs of the air force, compromised with,” Jaitley said.

Nirmala Sitharaman also responded to the oft-repeated criticism on the government’s decision to buy 36 fighter jets in a fly-away condition when the air force needed 126. Sitharaman said this decision was taken in consultation with the air force to be able to reduce the time taken to add two squadrons.

Read | Supreme Court verdict on Rafale deal: Full judgement