Showering praise on defence minister Manohar Parrikar for his reply on the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that Parrikar had risen above politics.
In a tweet, PM Modi described the defence minister’s address as “one of the best speeches displaying best parliamentary traditions”.
Parrikar’s much-awaited reply to the debate on the controversial AgustaWestland chopper deal was delivered on Wednesday amid ruckus in the Rajya Sabha, leading to a Congress walkout over its demand to set up a time-bound Supreme Court-monitored CBI inquiry into the alleged bribery scandal.
Read: People need to know who instigated, benefitted from Agusta: Parrikar
Read: Invisible hand prevented probe in chopper deal: Parrikar
Alleging that the procurement process in the AgustaWestland deal was violated, Parrikar had said that the former UPA regime had created ‘single-vendor situation’ to benefit from the same.
Parrikar said the UPA regime tried to take the longer route of writing to the embassy and the court etc. instead of taking action against the company.
{{/usCountry}}Parrikar said the UPA regime tried to take the longer route of writing to the embassy and the court etc. instead of taking action against the company.
{{/usCountry}}He also said that the government probe ‘will focus on the role of those named in the judgment of the Italian court’.
Read: AgustaWestland deal: Top 5 points made by govt and Congress