Govt drags Pranab's name in VVIP chopper deal
February 15, 2013 09:30
In what may come as a major embarrassment for the Congress-led ruling coalition at the Centre, a factsheet prepared by the UPA government mentions President Pranab Mukherjee's name into the controversial AgustaWestland chopper deal with Italy.
Reports, Friday, said that the deal with Italian defence firm Finmeccanica for supplying 12 choppers for the use of VVIPs was cleared during Pranab Mukherjees tenure as defence minister in 2005.
The government's factsheet further states that the tender was finalised in 2005 when Pranab Mukherjee was the defence minister, and SP Tyagi, now retired, was the Air Chief Marshal.
The factsheet also puts the blame on the BJP-led NDA government of involvement in the deal.
The Centre's factsheet alleges that in 2003, the then National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra wrote to the then defence secretary that the existing rules were unfair as it allowed only single bidding and that the qualifying height of the choppers should be reduced from 18,000 feet to at least 14,000 feet.
The Centre's factsheet alleges that in 2003, the then National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra wrote to the then defence secretary that the existing rules were unfair as it allowed only single bidding and that the qualifying height of the choppers should be reduced from 18,000 feet to at least 14,000 feet.
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