(Reopens DEL47)

Jaitley also charged CBI with trying to "cover up" rather than uncover a case through investigations. "This a very serious matter...Immediate action in this matter is required," he said. The main opposition party also accused Antony of giving an incorrect statement in Parliament about the VVIP chopper deal and said he should clarify it in the House. In reply to a question from BJP MP Prakash Javadekar, Antony had said in Parliament that upon his ministry's request, the External Affairs Ministry has taken up the matter with the Italian and UK governments to get further details. Alleging that the government had initiated action in the chopper deal only after the arrest of Finmeccanica chief Giuseppe Orsi, Prasad said it was not difficult for Indian government to get information from Italian authorities about the deal. "UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should clarify why there is corruption in every department of this government. There has been a loot in every department- be it telecom, coal or defence," Prasad said. He maintained that during the UPA government's rule, there have been other discrepancies in defence deals while citing the example of Tatra trucks. Prasad said former Air Chief S P "Tyagi's comments should be taken with a pinch of salt. His role should be probed...." The party said a series of scams during the UPA government's tenure was sending across a message to the world that one could get any deal done in India by paying bribes.