Congress, BSP leader Mayawati were among the MPs who asked for SC monitored probe.
Government on Wednesday rejected vociferous demand of a united opposition, including the Congress, for Supreme Court monitored time bound CBI probe into AgustaWestland payoffs.
Government's reply came after culmination of nearly five hour long debate on AgustaWestland issue in which both - treasury benches and opposition, including Congress – agreed that like bribe givers the takers need to found out and punished. "Why there should be a Supreme Court monitored CBI inquiry. Right now the inquiry is going on, Letter Rogatories have gone. When they were in government it was a CBI inquiry, when we come to power, they want Supreme Court…Why?" said parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu rejecting the demand.
The Congress walked out of the house after the debate blaming the BJP government for deliberately stoking the issue to hide its failures and confuse public. The debate started on a somber note with BJP's Bhupender Yadav giving a brief account of the case and seeking action against the bribe taker politicians. But the debate soon turned acrimonious with both BJP and Congress indulging in allegations and counter allegations. Raising question mark on the government for changing its stand frequently, Congress Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "We initiated proceedings but blacklisting was delayed because investigation was on. Then government changed and on July 3, 2014, the govt. issued an order banning/blacklisting AgustaWestland. Arun Jaitley sent a note to Attorney-General seeking clarifications."
"Surprisingly, on August 22, 2015, he gave clarifications. The third point of the note says that Finmeccanica can be allowed to do business if it is a sub contractor in a deal. This is strange. One cannot supply directly but can supply to someone else doing business with the govt."
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy counter charged the Congress for spending an additional amount of Rs 1200 crore on purchase of AgustWestland. "The Air Force said that the benchmark for the deal was Rs793 crore, which was approved by Mr Antony. But in September 2008, a committee arbitrarily fixed Rs4877.5 crore, which is six times more," said Swamy asking, "Which was the authority above Mr. Antony that superseded his note."
Angling his arguments towards Congress top brass but without naming them, Swamy suggested that CBI should do interrogation and if necessary custodial interrogation of the probable bribe takers, whose initials came up in the note of the middleman, under section 13 (1) (d) of prevention of corruption act. This created a furore in the house with Congress members demanding Swamy to authenticate the papers he is quoting from. Deputy chairman P J Kurein somehow placated the situation by ordering both Singhvi and Swamy to authenticate documents from which they quoted.
Anand Sharma responded to Swamy that the guns that he is training towards Congress will finally get the BJP. Trying to put things in perspective defence minister during UPA regime, A K Antony said that it was UPA I that introduced defence procurement policy and put pre-contract integrity clause in it that provides for debar a company indulged in wrongdoings for five years. "We showed the West we mean business by debarring six leading companies in March, 2013," said Antony emphasising with documentary proof that both parameters – change in flying altitude from 6000 to 4500 metres and increase in height of the cabin of helicopter from 1.45 metre to 1.8 metre were changed during BJP led NDA government's time.
Antony asserted that on the first instance of the media report alleging corruption, his government moved with alacrity and the very next day defence ministry asked for a report through ministry of external affairs from Rome, United Kingdom and became party in the case to nip out corruption. "Don't cover up, don't create smoke cloud and don't blackmail people! If you have the evidence take action swift and fast against the bribe takers," said Antony in a forceful manner.
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