AgustaWestland Dominates Rajya Sabha even as Vijay Mallya Resigns
The Quint brings you the latest updates from the Budget Session of Parliament.
- Vijay Mallya’s resignation accepted in the Rajya Sabha.
- RS Ethics Committee had recommended immediate expulsion of Vijay Mallya.
- Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar addressed the RS.
- Subramanian Swamy claims that he has provided grounds for prosecution of UPA government members.
- BJP MP Kirit Somaiya raised the Emaar-MGF connection with the AgustaWestland case in RS.
- Home Minister Rajnath Singh denies ISIS threat to India.
- Home MoS Kiren Rijiju assures security in places which have real threat.
- BJP MP Tarun Vijay sought suspension of RS over rape and murder case of law student in Kerala.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day. Lok Sabha was also adjourned minutes after the Rajya Sabha.
The adjournment came after Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Gupta pointed out that due to the cuts in funds for MNREGA, this year, 58 percent wages will not reach the people provided on time.
He also pointed out that 30 percent of the funds provided through this year’s budget will also be utilised to pay the employment seekers from last year.
The issue, said Gupta, was raised on various government platforms.
Watch the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha live:
Congress Walks Out of RS
The members of the Congress party walked out of the Rajya Sabha after Parrikar finished his address in the House.
Even as the Congress members walked out of the House, BJP member and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu questioned the request of the Supreme Court intervention in the CBI probe in AgustaWestland deal.
Vijay Mallya’s Resignation Accepted in RS
Deputy Speaker of Rajya Sabha PJ Kurien announced that the resignation letter by Vijay Mallya was accepted. Mallya will not be a member of the House with effect from 4 May 2016. The letter which was dated 3 May 2016 was received and accepted by Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar alleged that the Enforcement Directorate and CBI were stopped from taking action on an FIR which was filed in the case close to a year before the current government took over.
Parrikar also claimed that had the contract been terminated as soon as the corruption in the case was pointed out, the advance payment in the deal could have been recovered.
Congressman Ghulam Nabi Azad called Parrikar’s claims an insult to the concept of discussion in the House whereas Janata Dal (United) member Sharad Yadav countered Parrikar’s claims by asking him to take action on his claims against Congress.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in RS
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar reiterated two of the three points made by Subramanian Swamy. The height of flight and the height of the cabin was changed to favor a particular vendor, he pointed out.
Parrikar repeatedly quoted the CAG report which claims that a particular aircraft was preferred over five other vendors bidding for the defence deal.
“Don’t Threaten,” AK Antony Tells Swamy
Former Defence Minister and Congress member AK Antony quoted an official release from a meeting in February 2003 which was called by the Principal Secretary of the then Prime Minister.
In the meeting, the decisions related to the change in the height of flight and the height of the cabinet was made. In 2003, India was under the NDA regime which is currently in power.
One of the grounds for prosecution suggested by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy was that the height of flight and cabinet was tweaked so that AgustaWestland became the only company which could provide it.
Ahmed Patel Addressed Rajya Sabha
Indian National Congress member from Gujarat, Ahmed Patel said in the Rajya Sabha that he will give up his public life if the allegations against him are found to be true.
Before agreeing to authenticate the documents he quoted from, Subramanian Swamy said:
Furore in RS Over VVIP Chopper Deal Middleman’s Letter
Subramanian Swamy says he quoted the letter which was used by Ghulam Nabi Azad in the House earlier.
According to Swamy, the letter written by Christian Michel – the fugitive middleman in the VVIP chopper deal – was also quoted by the Italian court in its judgement. It reads, he says:
While Swamy refused to authenticate the letter until Abhishek Manu Singhvi authenticated it, Jayram Ramesh and Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress party rose in opposition against Swamy’s claims.
Congress member Anand Sharma snubbed Subramanian Swamy and reiterating Congress’ stance on the matter, asked for proof and sources of Swamy’s claims.
Watch the proceedings of the House live:
The Congress party held a meeting on Monday to address the questions raised against the party in the AgustaWestland deal.
Subramanian Swamy Addresses RS
BJP member Subramanian Swamy addressed the Rajya Sabha and presented various grounds on which he claims the Congress party members can be prosecuted. He said:
Watch the Rajya Sabha proceedings live here:
D Raja Seconds Mayawati
Communist Party of India (CPI) member D Raja has also sought the intervention of the Supreme Court in the investigation of the AgustaWestland deal. However, he did not discredit the CBI. He said:
Corruption is eating the vitals of our democratic polity, he added.
Mayawati Seeks SC-Investigation in Chopper Deal
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Mayawati sought the Supreme Court’s intervention in the investigation of the AgustaWestland case. She said:
The matter is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Former Indian Air Force Chief SP Tyagi is being questioned in the matter.
If the Supreme Court is involved, the matter will induce less blame-game, she observed. She did not fail to mention that the demand has been made in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
BJP Launches Attack on Congress
BJP MP Bhupendra Yadav leads the charge against the Congress on behalf of the government.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi responds to Bhupendra Yadav on behalf of the Congress.
He added that Ahmed Patel was villified without any concrete proof. He also lambasted the BJP government, saying that they allowed the ‘tainted’ ‘bogus’ company to participate in Bengaluru’s Aero Show in 2015.
On-Field Trials Abroad
Ram Gopal Yadav, Samajwadi Party MP said that Agusta is proof that no lesson have been learned.
Lok Sabha adjourned till 2.10 pm.
In the Lok Sabha, BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi discussed the Jisha rape and murder case in Kerala. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Venkaiah Naidu said that the case should not be made political.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm.
In Lok Sabha, Kirit Somaiya raises the Emaar-MGF connection in the AgustaWestland case and demands that Rahul Gandhi come clean on the issue.
According to Somaiya’s allegations, Guido Haschke, one of three middlemen of the deal whom India wants to quiz, served as a director in 2009 in real estate major Emaar-MGF. This real estate company, according to Somaiya, was promoted by Kanishka Singh’s family. Singh is one of the top political advisors of Rahul Gandhi and is considered very close to him.
ISIS Threat? No, Says Home Minister
Mallya’s Expulsion Recommended
Rajya Sabha Ethics Committee recommends the immediate expulsion of Vijay Mallya. The committee adopts the draft report to that effect.
Kerala Dalit Law Student Rape and Murder
The brutal rape and murder of Dalit law student Jisha from Perumbavoor, Kerala has been raised in the Rajya Sabha.
BJP MP Tarun Vijay gave notice to suspend business in the House over the matter. The Chair has allowed him to raise the matter in zero hour.
BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi will raise the matter in the Lok Sabha during zero hour.
On Vijay Mallya’s Resignation
Dr Karan Singh has presented the Ethics Committee report on the expulsion of Vijay Mallya from the Rajya Sabha in the House.
Mallya submitted his resignation as Member of Parliament to the Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari but it was rejected on technical grounds.
AgustaWestland and Emaar-MGF Connection
Even as the link between Emaar-MGF and the AgustaWestland chopper deal gets stronger, fresh revelations about Rahul Gandhi owning shops in the Metropolitan Mall in South Delhi has added a new dimension to the allegations against Gandhi.
Responding to BJP Lok Sabha MP Kirit Somaiya questions about him purchasing shops in the mall, a defensive Rahul Gandhi said:
Manohar Parriker will lead the charge against the Congress on the AgustaWestland issue. Former Defence Minister and Congress Rajya Sabha MP AK Antony will lead the Congress’ defence.
Congress MPs Anand Sharma and Abhishek Manu Shinghvi will assist AK Antony.
You Will See Our Strategy in the House, Says Sonia Gandhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu ahead of today’s session.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi chaired a crucial strategy meet to discuss the party’s strategy for the day on the AgustaWestland issue as the Defence Minister prepares to place documents connected to the deal before the Rajya Sabha.
The BJP has already targeted Sonia Gandhi as one of the main beneficiaries in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.
AgustaWestland and Repeated Adjournments
The issue has rocked both Houses of Parliament and led to repeated adjournments ever since the second half of the Budget session reconvened on 25 April.
Parrikar had on Saturday said the previous UPA dispensation will have to answer who received the alleged kickbacks in the AgustaWestland chopper deal.
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