Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre File pictureAam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has sent a legal notice to defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, demanding that the 2016 Rafale deal be replaced with an earlier understanding to purchase 126 Rafale fighter aircraft. The MP from Delhi cited the varying replies given to Parliament by minister of state for defence Subhash Bhamre in 2016 and 2018. Singh wrote the Rajya Sabha secretary-general in July to allow a privilege notice to be moved against Bhamre. He told reporters: “The BJP government and the defence minister have been shouting that the price cannot be revealed as it is a secret deal. He also wanted to know why the earlier deal to buy 126 Rafale planes was replaced with the 36- jet arrangement at a far higher price.

Source: The Telegraph September 25, 2018 21:33 UTC