Khurshid asks oppn not to politicise chopper deal

PTI | February 16, 2013



External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Saturday said that all procedures were "strictly followed" by the UPA government in the controversial VVIP chopper deal and the matter should not be politicised.

"I don't think it is right to politicise the issue. It is a matter of national interest. All procedures were strictly followed by the government," he told Indian journalists accompanying him on a two-day visit to Bangladesh.

Asked whether steps were being taken to cancel the deal with AugustaWestland for delivery of helicopters, he said, "the government has issued a show-cause notice to them. There are procedures involved which have to be followed."

To a question on the names of top dignitaries coming up in the matter like the President or Governors, Khurshid said "I don't think there could have been better and tighter compliance of procedures in the matter. We shouldnt involve them at all."

He asked all political parties, including the Opposition, "not to get distracted from the core issue. The core issue is to get to the bottom of the facts."

On whether the matter would come up during the upcoming visit of British Prime Minister David Cameron, Khurshid said the issue was not on the agenda, but it could come up as it has come up only recently.

Asked why didn't the government react to the scandal earlier, Khurshid said, "we attempted to get details but there were procedural issues and therefore, there was paucity of information. Now that the investigations (in Italy) have reached the stage for making an arrest, that is indicative of the seriousness."

In February 2010, India had inked Rs 3,600 crore deal to acquire the 12 three-engine AW-101 helicopters from AgustaWestland for IAF's elite Communication Squadron, which ferries the President, PM and other VVIPs.

With the scam unfolding in the deal, the delivery of three helicopters from AgustaWestland scheduled for next month has been put on hold along with the remaining six which were to arrive later.

India has already received three of the 12 helicopters.

A CBI team is also being sent to Italy where the CEOs of AgustaWestland and its parent company Finmeccanica have been arrested on charges of bribery.

Comments

 

Other News

Gandhian movement after Gandhi failed: Ram Guha

The Gandhian movement in India, after Gandhi’s death, failed, says Ramachandra Guha, and blames Vinoba Bhave for it. But the movement found new, fertile grounds around the world and succeeded in bringing about a change in South Africa, the US and elsewhere. It is high time it returned home. Of cour

When religion, politics and Bollywood come together

Tavleen Singh, noted journalist and political commentator, has turned to fiction, with her debut novel ‘The Actor’ (HaperCollins India). Set in the near future, it has a superstar, Amit Singh, turning to politics, when the political landscape is dominated by prime minister Guru Gaynendraj

Cabinet approves setting up of Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority

The union cabinet, chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), called Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA), to strengthen research, planning, appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment within the broad domains of Transp

Why foundational literacy and numeracy is key to school education

Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) are often described as the building blocks of education. Yet, their significance goes well beyond a child’s ability to read a sentence, write a response or solve a basic mathematical problem. These foundational skills shape how children understand the world,

When police data becomes the algorithm

For decades, policing has followed a familiar sequence: a crime occurs, the police respond, an investigation produces records and those records become part of the institutional memory of the criminal justice system. Artificial intelligence is beginning to alter that sequence. Instead of merely recording

Before India voted, the framers worried about the referee

“We are making a Constitution forever and not only for today.” Shibban Lal Saksena said this in the Constituent Assembly on June 15, 1949. He was warning that a ruling party might one day choose a loyalist to run India’s elections. Seventy-seven years later, the Supreme Court is wrestli

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter