Cong dares govt to come out with truth on AgustaWestland deal

Congress today dared government to come out with the truth on AgustaWestland deal in next two months instead of issuing threats and launching a "malicious" campaign against it .
"If government has the guts, it should come out with truth in the matter in the next two months when Monsoon session of Parliament will commence", Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters here.
Making light of the attacks on the party and its leadership, he posed the question whether the Congress and the UPA and their leadership would have taken several steps to unravel the truth in the matter if they had something to hide or if they had resorted to corruption.

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister and the government, he alleged that the entire government has been tasked to target the Congress and its leadership day in and day out on the issue. "It is all disinformation, a malicious campaign".
"They have the entire government with them, the CBI, RAW and Ed...Why they are not finding out as to who is guilty, who has taken money", Azad said.
He ignored threat of BJP member Subramanian Swamy to move a Breach of Privilege against him for his remarks that UPA had blacklisted Finmeccanica. He said generally breach of privilige is moved against Ministers if they mislead despite having all the information.

Asked whether Congress was ready to have a discussion in Parliament on the issue, he said, "we are ready for any discussion. We have nothing to hide. We are demanding an early decision by government" to find out the truth.

Dismissing BJP's charge that the Congress had compromised national security in the chopper deal, he said that the national security had got compromised when in the Vajpayee government, the then External Affairs Minister had accompanied dreaded terrorists to Kandahar.
"National Security gets compromised when we see defence files are selectively leaked to TV channels", he said in an apparent jibe at the Modi dispensation.

Hitting out at the BJP, Azad said, "Those who stay in
glass houses, do not throw stones".
"The less he speaks, it will be better", he said in a dismissive tone when told that BJP chief Amit Shah has come out with fresh questions for the Congress leadership.
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Hitting out at the Prime Minister, his senior ministers and the BJP President, AICC Communication Department Chairman Randeep Surjewala sought to rebut the charges on Congress on the issue and alleged that the BJP leadership was playing the "diabolical and convoluted game of mud slinging and muck raking without a fig of truth or facts."

"BJP continues to follow a policy of deception and duplicity to muddle the truth," he said claiming there are "incontrovertible facts" that tell a different story.
"Purchase of 12 VVIP Helicopters was affected through a global tender in the year 2010. Integrity Clause warranted cancellation of the contract in case there were allegations of corruption or middleman.
"In February, 2013, the Congress government ordered registration of an FIR for corruption after allegations emerged in public domain. Congress government handed over the matter to CBI for investigation," he said.
He further said that in February 2014, the Congress government cancelled the contract of Augusta Westland based on Integrity Clause.

"Congress government proceeded to confiscate/encash the bank guarantee, both in India as well as through a verdict of court in Milan in Italy amounting to Rs 2,068 crore against the original payment of Rs 1,620 crore. Congress government also confiscated three Helicopters, which are currently in possession of the country. Not a single rupee of exchequer was lost.
"On 10th February, 2014, the Congress government initiated the process of blacklisting/banning of Augusta Westland, which culminated on 3rd July, 2014," Surjewala said.
Posing a number of questions before BJP leadership, the Congress chief spokesperson asked why the government was "protecting the alleged bribe giver--Augusta Westland and why the CBI has not taken any action against bribe giver company, Augusta Westland or bribe taker by identifying or prosecuting them?

"Why was banning/blacklisting of Augusta cancelled by Modi government within 40 days-- by an order dated August 22, 2014 permitting the company to participate as a vendor or a joint venture partner?
"Why did Modi government grant FIPB permission to Augusta Westland on October 8 2015 for setting up of a joint venture of Indo Rotorcraft Limited in partnership with Tata? Why is Modi government shying away from questioning the accused Christian Michael despite his offer to the Prime Minister?, Surjewala asked.
The Congress leader said the attack on Congress by the BJP on this issue is "yet another diversionary tactic to keep away the attention from Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation, failure in Pathankot, agrarian crisis, drought and subjugation of democracy by conspiring to dismiss elected governments in Arunachal and Uttarakhand."

He said that lastly the truth prevails and "not leaking plants".