Attacking the Modi government, the Congress on Wednesday alleged that it was a political conspiracy to malign the party leadership in the AgustaWestland chopper deal for which Subramanian Swamy has be
Attacking the Modi government, the Congress on Wednesday alleged that it was a political conspiracy to malign the party leadership in the AgustaWestland chopper deal for which Subramanian Swamy has been brought to the Rajya Sabha to fulfill the Prime Minister’s “muckraking agenda”.
“These are baseless allegations. It is a political conspiracy to malign the Congress leadership and cover-up NDA’s criminal negligence,” former defence minister A.K. Antony said at the AICC briefing where party’s chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala and spokesman P.L. Punia too joined him in taking on the ruling BJP.
Assuring cooperation of the party in the probe, Mr Antony alleged that the NDA govt “went to sleep” in the last two years “doing nothing”.
When asked about the names of Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders being mentioned in the verdict, Mr Antony claimed, “No witnesses mentioned these names in hearing in the Italian court”.
He said the UPA government not only pursued the matter in the Italian courts, but also saw to it that an officer of the defence ministry and the CBI was present during the hearings in the courts there.
Targeting BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, Mr Surjewala alleged that the PM was “using” him.
“Mr Swamy’s job as an MP is for this purpose. There is... Not a whisper about culpability of Congress leadership. It is just a figment of imagination of (the one who has been nominated). Mr Modi wants to use him for his muckraking agenda,” Mr Surjewala said.
Mr Antony said, “The PM and BJP government are seeking to weave a web of lies, perpetuate falsehoods and construct a mesh of deception to hoodwink the people of India in the AgustaWestland helicopter purchase and its parent company Finmeccanica.”
