Jyotiraditya Scindia said allegations against Sonia Gandhi stem from an unverified document. (Press Trust of India photo)
Highlights
- Her name is not in any authenticated document related to scam, he says
- In counter attack, Mr Scindia takes on BJP over Rafale aircraft deal
- He's a good orator but he's lying about the Rafale deal: Defence Minister
is a "
sherni" (lioness), said the Congress'
Jyotiraditya Scindia in an attacking speech in the Lok Sabha as he took on the BJP in a debate on the AgustaWestland scam.
Mr Scindia said the Congress President's name does not appear in any authenticated document related to the Rs 3,600 crore
AgustaWestland helicopter deal and pointed to the government benches as he added, "Sonia Gandhi is a sherni who they are afraid of."
The 44-year-old Congress lawmaker referred to a letter from Peter Hullet, an Italian officer in AgustaWestland's India office, and said, "Hullet had written, Mrs Gandhi and her closest set of advisers are the people the high commissioner should value...Does this government imply that high-commissioners and diplomatic heads of different countries wish to meet our leaders in cases of corruption?"
The documents that the BJP has based its accusations against Mrs Gandhi on, Mr Scindia said, was "an unverified piece of paper that does not contain anyone's signature."
The Congress leader said Sonia Gandhi's name does not appear in any authenticated document related to the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.
Last month, an Italian court convicted Agusta officials for paying bribes in India. In his order the judge referred to documents seized from middlemen and Agusta executives which mentioned Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders.
The BJP alleges that Congress leaders colluded in corruption with Agusta officials.
Jyotiraditya Scindia quoted the judgement passed by the Milan court where the Judge, Marco Maiga, had said: "We have no evidence against Sonia Gandhi. Only a mention of her in the facts, Mrs Gandhi has only been indicated as someone who will fly in the VVIP helicopters."
He also quoted Agusta middleman Christian Michel as having said, "I have never met one single Gandhi ever in my life. Not a letter, not a message, not a mention (their's) in any memo. I am absolutely sure that no money was ever paid to the Gandhis."
In a counter attack, the Congress MP said, "The BJP must answer why it signed a deal of 36 Rafale aircraft for 9 billion dollars when the UPA had bargained for 125 aircraft for 10 billion dollars."
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
ripped into the Congress in his reply to the debate, saying, "I had respect for Scindia...while I thought he was a very good orator, he was totally lying, he took total liberties with the truth by saying the Rafal deal was 10 million dollars."