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Rafale link to Ambani tax The recent ruling of Supreme
4/30/2019 30APR2019E
sop must be highlighted Court on Rafale documents
With reference to the report “SC allows leaked establishes that no govern-
documents to be relied in Rafale case” by ment is above the law and that
Tehelka Bureau (April 30)
For some reason French paper investigative journalism cannot
Le Monde’s disclosure that the be stifled.
France gave Anil Ambani’s firm The government’s stance so
tax relief to the tune of €143.7 far on documents that pertain
million ( 1100 crore) had not to the deal indicates that it has
received adequate attention in something to conceal and is
the Indian media. perhaps an attempt to buy time
May be, they are also smitten till the elections are over.
by ‘Modi worship syndrome’ The verdict is also an oppor-
and do not want to show the BJP tunity to allay aspersions voiced
and the Modi government in on the integrity of the supreme
unfavourable light. institution in the aftermath of its
The refutation of the deduced December order.
Rafale link to the Ambani tax Deepak singhal
sop by the Defence Ministry is
tehelka.com/30APR2019E/mobile/index.html 1/2 Don’t politicise valour of
understandable. defence forces for votes
But then there’s no such
UK MUSTN’T PLAY thing as a free lunch. Le Monde With reference to the cover story “Ballot battle
begins” by Bharat Hiteshi (April 30)
IN HANDS OF US story hints a possible quid pro It is unfair to make an issue out
quo. If the tax relief to Anil
of every utterance and attribute
Ambani’s telecom company was motives. The sacrifices made by
not ‘payback’ for buying Rafale
With reference to the report “Assange arrested” our armed forces have never
by Sanjib Singh (April 30) fighter jets, what other possible been the talking points during
But for WikiLeaks, the world explanation is there? elections.
In all likelihood French be-
The statement could well be
would not have known the dark nevolence was caused by escala- construed as aimed at invok-
side of and to the American tion of the price to a whopping ing the spirit of nationalism in
administration. Julian Assange Rs.1660 crore an aircraft. the minds of young voters who
The tax relief to Modi’s
are otherwise ignorant of the
should not be punished for this. ‘struggling businessman friend’ sacrifices of our armed forces
The other cases against him are followed Prime Minister’s personnel.
Requesting voters to dedi-
different. unilateral decision to purchase cate their votes for the country,
36 combat aircraft from French
The message from this episode manufacturer Dassault Aviation society and armed forces is way
is clear: ‘Toe our line or we will announced in Paris. Even the better than asking for votes on
then Defence Minister Manohar
a caste and communal basis,
take you out.’ Britain, which Parrikar was kept in the dark which almost all parties do with-
projects itself as a custodian about the decision. out any compunction.
It is immensely significant
of human rights, should stop that the French agreed to a set- V subramanian
playing stooge to America. He tlement foregoing €143.7 million Nobody needs to teach the
may instead be deported to his from a total sum of €151 million people about the valour of our
that Anil Ambani owed them
native country, Australia, which while one would have expected defence forces. They already
could decide his fate. them to waive €7.3 million at the have a lot of gratitude towards
our armed forces.
most in normal circumstances.
T ANAND RAj It is hard to believe that Anil Therefore, the Prime Minis-
Ambani would have got the tax ter’s appeal to first-time voters
relief if there were no Rafale is perplexing. It runs the risk of
deal to the advantage of the being misconstrued in terms
French. of ‘us and them’. People should
g DaViD milton not get carried away by such
Tehelka / 15 may 2019 6 www.Tehelka.com
