Modi dragging Nehru, Gandhi family in Agusta scam: Digvijay Singh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to “drag” the name of “Nehru-Gandhi family” into the controversial AgustaWestland deal in tune with the NDA government’s agenda to “malign” their image on the issue, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to “drag” the name of “Nehru-Gandhi family” into the controversial AgustaWestland deal in tune with the NDA government’s agenda to “malign” their image on the issue, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said on Tuesday.

Congress leader Digvijay Singh said PM Modi is trying to drag the name of Nehru-Gandhi family into the AgustaWestland scam.(PTI File Photo)

He alleged that it was the BJP’s strategy to “defame” members of the Nehru-Gandhi family as well as the Congress “as they (NDA Government) could not prove anything linking them in the case during the past two years”.

Singh said the then UPA government had blacklisted the Italian firm (Finmeccanica) as soon as it suspected foul play in the VVIP chopper deal.

“As soon as the UPA came to know about the scandal, the contract was cancelled and AgustaWestland was blacklisted. A CBI probe was also ordered and a case has been filed.”

“There is no charge on the Nehru-Gandhi family members in the Italian court. Even defence minister Manohar Parrikar had said there were no names mentioned by the court. But Narendra Modi is trying to drag Nehru-Gandhi family into the issue,” the AICC general secretary told reporters here.

“Why has CBI not established who took the bribes till now? Singh questioned, in response to the BJP’s barbs on the issue.

Referring to the NIA move to drop all charges against Sadhvi Pragya Singh and five other accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, he said, “ever since the BJP came to power, it is assumed that the persons who are associated with ‘Sangh Parivar’ would be given the clean chit”.

He alleged that the ruling BJP has gone to the extent of “discrediting” slain ATS chief Hemant Karkare who had probed the blast case.

NIA had also given up charges under the stringent MCOCA law against all the other 10 accused, including Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit in the case.

Singh alleged that the ruling TRS government in Telangana has failed to fulfil the promises it had made during assembly elections.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Uttam Kumar Reddy announced on the occasion that the Congress would not maintain any media relations with a Telugu newspaper and a television channel that are said to be owned by “the people close to TRS”.

He alleged the concerned media house has been airing biased news without taking all versions.