None will be spared in AgustaWestland scam: Manohar Parrikar

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday asserted that those involved in the AgustaWestland chopper scam will not be spared.

"The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is after them (those involved in the Agusta scam) and none of them will be spared," Parrikar said while addressing a large gathering here as part of 'Vikash Utsav' organised to mark the BJP-led NDA government's two years in office. Listing Narendra Modi government's achievements in these two years, the Defence Minister emphasised that the present government has taught as to how to remain clean (corruption-free) even in power.

Parrikar said he valued "integrity" as his most precious possession as a political leader. Lauding the efforts of security personnel deployed in border areas, the Union Minister said these days, infiltration from across the border has declined because nearly 70 to 75 per cent armed infiltrators were eliminated.

Parrikar also came down heavily on the BJD regime in Odisha claiming the Naveen Patnaik-government has done nothing to create jobs for the millions of educated youth of the state. "There is plenty of scope to industrialise the state and develop the skills of educated youth so that they can stand up to earn their bread with dignity," the former Goa chief minister said.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and state BJP president Basant Panda also spoke on the occasion.