AgustaWestland: Shah Dares Sonia to Name Beneficiaries

In the Parliament, the BJP blamed the Congress-led UPA government for all the scams that occurred during that time.

In this file photo,Congress President Sonia Gandhi at an election campaign rally at West Canning in South 24 Pargana district. PTI

NEW DELHI: The battle lines have been drawn between the Congress and the BJP.  Saffron party chief Amit Shah on Thursday launched a scathing attack on his Congress counterpart Sonia Gandhi asking her to reveal names of all those who received kickbacks in the AgustaWestland scam.

Shah’s attack came a day after Gandhi claimed that she did “not fear anybody” following the judgment by an Italian court. “Sonia ji said she is not scared of anybody, but we, in Bharatiya Janata Party, fear the Constitution, rule of law and societal norms​,” Shah said adding She said the same thing when revelations in the National Herald case were made.

“As it has been proved by the Italian Court that a bribe has been given in this Agusta­Westland Chopper deal, then the Congress president should tell who's got the money after all and name those  who received the kickbacks,”  BJP chief said in a sharp political attack.

He rubbed it in saying, “Sonia ji is "right" when she says that she does not fear anybody that is why such "scams" keep coming out in the open.​ When the National Herald case occurs, Sonia Ji says that she does not fear anybody and now when the Agusta­Westland case appears, even then she said that she is not scared of anything.”

“All I want to ask Sonia ji is that those who gave bribe are in jail in Italy, then where are those who received the kickbacks?” Shah added.

As the issue reverberated in the Parliament, the BJP blamed the Congress-led UPA government for all the scams that occurred during that time.

“Who was in power when bribes were being paid in the Agusta­Westland case.  Congress should bring out the truth and tell the name who are involved in this scam. Congress will have to face questions from the public on this issue, this issue is not going to ask them to keep quiet,” the BJP chief said thus giving a clear line of attack to the party so that it can corner the opposition in the coming days.

“It was a rare dispensation as scams under it were reported when it was in power and they continue to be reported even two years after it was voted out,​” Shah said as BJP is also fighting Congress in three states where elections are being held currently.