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              he Congress cited media reports                             Surjewala.  “The reason for the same
              to point out that the Empowered                             is yet to be explained by the defence
         T Committee of Indian Navy had,                                  ministry.”
         therefore, rejected the Adani Defence
         JV putting it out of contention while ex-                              iming to link the dilution of
         pressing its doubts over the submarine  “                              credit rating required with Ada-
         deal. “Can the Modi Government direct                             A ni Defence JV, the opposition
         that the Adani Defence JV is eligible,”                          party also pointed out that the credit
         said Surjewala.                    Congress asks why the         rating of Adani Defence’s parent com-
           Adding up to his charge, the Con-                              pany Adani Power had a credit rating
         gress leader said that in fact, Adani   govt favours a private   of ‘BB+’ and all Adani Power subsidiary
         Defence JV & HSL had submitted the   entity in violation of the   companies had mostly credit rating of
         Request for Expression Of Interest                               ‘BBB’ with the exception of Adani Pow-
         without even forming a Joint Venture   Defence Procurement       er Maharashtra Limited which had ‘A-’
         up till the last date of submission.   Procedure, 2016. The      CARE Credit Rating.
           To support his allegation, the Con-                               Congress  leaders said  they were
         gress leader cited a statement made by   govt also overrules the   aware that questions will be raised on
         HSL Managing Director Adm L V Sarat   recommendations of         the validity of the charges being made
         Babu on September 28, 2019, wherein                              by the party in the submarine deal
         he categorically said that HSL was   the Navy’s 'Empowered       given the earlier campaign alleging
         in the process of setting up a JV with   Committee' that was set up   corruption in the Rafale jet deal did not
         Adani Defence and that the company                               find favour either with the Supreme
         was seeking government’s permission   for the project, it adds   Court or the voters.
         for the same. “Hence, the reported de-                              After the 2019 Lok Sabha poll results,
         cision of ‘Empowered Committee’ of                               in which the Congress could increase
         Indian Navy putting the so called Adani                          its tally marginally from 44 in 2014 na-
         Defence-HSL out of contention and                                tional polls to 52, there was a concern
         consideration appears to be prima fa-  Boosting capabilities     among a section of party that the strat-
         cie correct. Why is then Modi Govern-                            egy to harp too much on the Rafale jet
         ment seeking to overrule the Indian   The government wants the six   deal to target Modi had boomeranged
         Navy,” said Surjewala, adding the mat-  conventional submarines project   on the opposition party as it took focus
         ter would be considered by the govern-  to strengthen the Indian shipyard   away from burning issues like lack of
         ment soon.                         capabilities and cover the gaps in   jobs, sliding economy and widespread
           Citing further violation of rules in   India’s underwater warfare fleet.  rural distress.
         the case of Adani Defence, the Con-  At present, the Indian Navy    Noting that facts were different in
         gress alleged that as per the Defence   fleet has 13 conventional sub-  each case, the Congress leader said it
         Procurement Procedure 2016 man-    marines which are two decades   was the duty of the opposition party to
         dated assessment of capacity of ship   old. Earlier in 200, the Navy had   flag issues which demanded transpar-
         building entities, it was required that   planned to induct 24 such subs   ency in national interest.
         credit rating of every entity bidding   by 2030. The plan to build new   “We only want transparency and
         for a contract above  1000 crore was   submarines has been delayed by   accountability. We are not red-flagging
         categorized as ‘A’. But in the submarine   several years.        it out of thin air. There is plausible in-
         deal the rating required as being dilut-  India has a locally manufac-  formation available in public domain
         ed to suit Adani Defence, the opposition   tured nuclear armed submarine   and otherwise. Are the Prime Minister
         party alleged.                     and a nuclear powered subma-  and the defence ministry not pushing
           Surjewala has argued that adher-  rine borrowed from Russia in   for consideration of an entity that has
         ence to DPP 2016 was compulsory and   2012 on a 10 year lease worth $1   been non-suited by the Empowered
         that under DPP, the Defence Ministry   billion.                  Committee of Indian Navy, that is the
         was required to approve the special   In comparison, China’s fleet   short point,” Surjewala said.
         purpose vehicle and scrutinise it thor-  includes 50 conventional sub-  “Let the Prime Minister and the De-
         oughly. “The defence ministry, while   marines, four nuclear armed and   fence Minister come forward and say,
         issuing the expression of interest has   six nuclear powered vessels. The   No, it is not being done, we would say
         decided to dilute this credit rating cat-  number is expected to be over 65   Thank You, we are satisfied,” he added.
         egorization to ‘BBB’ for a project valued   by 2020.
         45 times higher at  45,000 crore,” said                                           LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM


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