Terming “irresponsible” the allegation made by the BJP against its party president Sonia Gandhi in the AgustaWestland deal, the Congress, charging the ruling party of “misleading” people in the matter, said it was raking up the issue to divert attention from its ‘inaction ‘ in the matter.
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Govt asks United Kingdom to extradite middleman Christian Michel With the defence ministry saying corruption is the primary issue in the helicopter deal and it will “leave no stone unturned” to bring out the truth, India approached the British government for extradition of Christian Michel, the middleman named by Italian investigators as a key intermediary in swinging the controversial deal for AgustaWestland choppers.
When the House reassembled, Kurien expunged Swamy’s reference to Sonia, saying he should not name a member who can not come and defend himself or herself.
Even as the deputy chairman asked Swamy to continue, Congress members kept creating a ruckus. He said, now when it has been proved by the Italian Court that a bribe has been given in this Agusta-Westland Chopper deal, then the Congress president should tell the people of the country that who’s got the money after all and name those who received the “kickbacks”. “Sonia as the driving force” behind the deal simply refers to the fact that the Congress leader no longer wanted to fly in the existing MI-8 choppers.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the BJP-led Government was protecting “bribe-givers” by allowing AgustaWestland to take part in the Union Government’s “Make in India” initiative.
Singhvi also spoke in similar vein on the BJP attack on former Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis case in the Lok Sabha yesterday. “We gave orders that there would be no fresh purchase by the defence ministry until court gives decision”, Mr Swamy said as he set off for Parliament today.
The Congress members first trooped near the chairman’s podium, and then, making agressive gestures towards the treasury benches, they moved towards them.
The Italian court has observed that there is a reasonable belief of corruption in the helicopters deal.
Coming down heavily on the BJP MP, Azad said Swamy does not know the difference between street language and parliamentary words. “Sonia Gandhi should answer it too”, he demanded.
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Another Congress leader, R.P.N. Singh said the BJP was in the habit of telling “half truths”. After Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar pointed out that AgustaWestland had not been blacklisted, the party pointed out that the process to blacklist had been “initiated”. Modiji finds Gandhi family as honest.
