Chopper deal: BJP dismisses BJP attack on Antony

Congress today dismissed BJP's attack on Defence Minister A K Antony over the VVIP chopper deal, saying the Opposition party "does not even know the meaning and spelling of honesty". "This will happen if BJP examines others, too, with its own yardstick. BJP doesn't even know the meaning or spelling of honesty. And now they are having doubts about even Antony," party spokesperson Renuka Chowdhary told reporters here. She was reponding to a question on the allegation of BJP that dubious deals have happened during the tenure of Antony as the Defence Minister. The party spokesperson also sought to downplay BJP's contention that Congress should come clean on reports on the chopper deal alleging that close associates of a former Union minister and a Congress vice president were beneficiaries. "It is not enough for a name to come floating. It needs to substantiated with facts. Be assured that if anybody is guilty then there is no question of us protecting" the person, Chowdhary said. She, at the same time, said that names were being mentioned randomly without substantiation. The Congress spokesperson also attacked BJP amid indications that the main Opposition party may disrupt Parliament on the chopper deal issue. "Whatever clarifications BJP needs, the party should come and ask in the House. We have never said that we won't reply to questions. So, why is it shying away from coming to Parliament and raising these issues?" she asked. BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy has said that his party will raise this issue strongly in Parliament. "This is a monumental scam in which kickbacks of Rs 360 crore were paid. Antony is now giving several orders and statements and is struggling to keep his 'Mr Clean' image. But the fact remains that he has been the Defence Minister since October 24, 2006," Rudy said.