BJP says it wants an investigation into the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, debate in Parliament.
Highlights
- BJP MPs issue notices for discussion on VVIP chopper scam in both Houses
- BJP has told its MPs in both Houses to attend Parliament
- Congress has attacked BJP for imposing President's Rule in Uttarakhand
In face of the attack from Opposition Congress regarding the imposition of President's Rule in Uttarakhand, the government is set to throw a political counter: Debates on the AugustaWestland pay-off and the Ishrat Jehan encounter issue.
Top BJP leaders - including party president Amit Shah, Finance minister Arun Jaitley and parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu - sat together this afternoon to give final shape to the parliamentary strategy on the twin issues.
It was decided that the
BJP will be aggressive on the AugustaWestland issue and name Congress president Sonia Gandhi - whose name, according to government sources, figures in one of the testimonies.
BJP members in both houses have moved notices for discussion on both issues.
In the Lok Sabha, Delhi lawmaker Meenakshi Lekhi submitted a notice for a discussion of the chopper scam. The same has been done for Rajya Sabha by Subramanium Swamy, a known Gandhi family baiter.
In the lower house, BJP lawmaker Anurag Thakur has given notice to the Speaker for discussion on the Ishrat case. The BJP is keen to take up the issue, as it feels the recent revelations about the change in home ministry's stand on Ishrat Jehan via two affidavits makes for a strong case against former home minister P Chidambaram.
Party sources said the BJP plans to use the revelations as evidence of the UPA government's attempts to frame Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the chief minister of Gujarat at the time of the encounter.
"We will push for a discussion, but finally, a decision will be taken by the Chair in the two houses," said senior BJP leader. "It may not be taken up instantly, but it will be a warning to the Congress, which is unrelenting on the Uttarakhand issue."
Today, the BJP issued a whip to its lawmakers in both houses to be present in Parliament. Party sources said the command has been issued due to election of various parliamentary committees and the senior leaders want the lawmakers to vote compulsorily.