One of the biggest scam the AgustaWestland helicopter deal, in which several Indian politicians and military officials have been accused of accepting bribes from AgustaWestland in order to win the 36 billion India contract for the supply of 12 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters. The Former Defence Minister on this issue said that there is nothing to hide and fear.
The Former Defence Minister A.K. Antony said there were no skeletons in the UPA’s closet pertaining to the AgustaWestland helicopter deal. While talking on this issue Antony said outside the Parliament that, “we have nothing to hide, nothing to fear, no role in it. We are very clear.”
He also added that, “many a time in Parliament I have explained everything with documents about the whole thing. It was our government that ordered a CBI enquiry, cancelled the contract, filed a case initially and got the money back.”
Antony accused the Prime Minister Modi government of using the issue as a “diversionary tactic.”
Blaming on the Prime Minister Modi’s government he said, “this government, whenever they are in trouble they bring the subject as a diversionary tactic.” The Congress party leader said party President Sonia Gandhi had nothing to do with the chopper deal.
He further said, “Soniaji has nothing to do with it. Because this chopper, is for the use of President, Vice President and Prime Minister. The procurement was (to take place) because of consistent demand from the Indian Air Force from 1999.”
When asked about the arrest of former Air Chief S.P. Tyagi, the former Defence Minister said, “Let them complete the inquiry. Let the truth come out.”
The issue of AgustaWestland came out once again in the Parliament after the arrest of Tyagi and after that the Bharatiya Janata Party has been aggressively raising the issue of AgustaWestland in Parliament.
--with agency inputs
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