New Delhi: Congress party, on Monday, slammed the BJP-led central Government by calling it "unequivocally guilty of shielding, protecting, and promoting" Agusta Westland and its parent company Finmeccanica.
This comes a day after centre, in a major turnaround, decided to lift its ban on the Italian defence company involved in the AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal.
While addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said, "PM Modi called the Finmeccanica (Parent Company of Agusta Westland) “Corrupt”, Amit Shah called it “Bogus”, Ex Defense Minister Late Parrikar ji accused it of “Bribes and Corruption” in Parliament. First mysteriously withdrew blacklisting of Augusta Westland/Finmeccanica on July 22, 2014, and now, lifted procurement ban on it. Their nefarious design is simple-‘Operation Cover-up to Save Modi’!"
He claimed that PM Modi and his Govt sanctioned investment by ‘Blacklisted’ Agusta Westland through the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) and included it as part of ‘Make In India’ and even permitted it to bid for the purchase of 100 Helicopters for the Indian Navy.
"Modi Government is hiding this conspiratorial nexus by unleashing a smear campaign laced with pure falsehood. This is Pot Calling the Kettle Black," the Congress leader alleged.
Vallabh also mentioned that in July 2014, Modi Government took an opinion from its Attorney General to undo the banning of Agusta Westland and its parent company Finmeccanica, based thereon, Modi Governor and Defence Ministry issued an order dated 22.07.2014 withdrawing the Blacklisting of Agusta/ Finmeccanica.
"As per Italian Ambassador to India - PM Narendra Modi and his Italian Counterpart discussed Agusta/ Finmeccanica issue during PM’s recent visit to Rome for G-20 meet. In this meeting, EAM Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval were also present. Now, as a result, the procurement ban on Augusta Westland was lifted," he further stated.
Vallabh questioned the Government was a “Secret Deal” entered between Modi Government and Agusta/ Finmeccanica during that visit and if it is now ok to deal with a company that PM Modi and his Govt called “corrupt-bribe giver-bogus”.
He also asked, "Does it mean that the fake bogey of corruption created just before the 2019 elections is being given a quiet burial like what had happened in 2G Spectrum Allocation a couple of days back (Vinod Rai’s – Unconditional Apology)?"
"What will happen to pending Arbitration against Agusta/ Finmeccanica? Is this going to have a loss to exchequer? As Congress-UPA recovered a total of Rs 2954 Crore (2068+886.50) from Agusta Westland against a payment of Rs 1620 Crore," Professor Vallabh asserted.
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