Furious Agusta debate heats up Rajya Sabha

Unlike its strategy during past sessions, the Congress this time around instead of paralyzing the proceedings decided to take the government head-on. The Congress fielded  – Abhishek Manu Singhvi and AK Antony to counter the government with Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s political aide Ahmed Patel, who rarely participates in the House proceedings, too making spirited interventions.

On the other hand, the Government chose to leave it to the acerbic oratory of newly nominated MP Subramanian Swamy to demolish the Congress defence. When the Opposition members protested at Swamy being allowed to hold the floor beyond allotted time, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affair Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi intervened to say that they were ready to withdraw their other speakers to allow Swamy more time.

Swamy on his part made no bones about using the case to besmirch the image of the Opposition leadership. “I would assist the government to find out who got the bribe money,” said Swamy. The government’s intention to join the dots and find who is “AP” and Signora Gandhi, who are alleged to have received the bribe money in the VVIP Chopper Scam case, was clear also in the opening remarks of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and in his reply to the debate.

“The country wants to know  who instigated, supported and benefited from corruption. We can’t let this pass,” said Parrikar in his reply to the debate. “Italy court has said that there are omissions in various stages of decision making. The fact that the corruption has occurred has been brought out in extensive detail in recent judgments by the Italy court,” Parrikar said.

He did not stop there and went onto point a finger at the Congress leadership saying, “It appears an invisible hand was guiding the action or inaction of CBI and ED.” Parrikar furhter said, “Let me make it very clear. I will not take any names so that you don’t get a reason to disturb.”

Swamy, however, showed no such worries as he said, “The CBI has the right under Section 156 of CrPC to question the person who is mentioned in the Italian court judgment as the ‘driving force’ behind the AgustaWestland chopper deal,” and then went on to add, “Before even (former PM) Dr Manmohan Singh, she should be interrogated first by the CBI.” Although he did not take Sonia Gandhi’s name, it was clear that “she” meant the Congress president.

Countering Swamy former Defence Minister AK Antony said, “If you have all evidence, take action but don’t threaten us, don’t blackmail us.” Antony claimed that the UPA was responsible for cancelling the deal whereas the BJP government was allowing the “blacklisted” company to participate in events like Make In India.

 Parrikar retorted by blaming the predecessor government of “creation of a single vendor scenario since 2005 onwards, norms reset and requirements changed.”