In his first public comments since the AgustaWestland issue broke out, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dubbed the controversial deal a chori (theft) and said that the guilty, howsoever big, would not be spared.
At an election rally in Hosur in western Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the people if the scamsters in the multi-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal should go unpunished.
“Should those involved in the chopper deal be punished or not?" he asked the crowd gathered at the Anthivadi stadium. Those who knew Hindi in the crowd responded with a wave of applause.
Then, the Prime Minister took a dig at the Italian connections of the Congress leader. “I have not been to Italy and I have no relatives in Italy. What will I do if the people known to them say they are corrupt,” Modi said, amid a round of claps from people.
“Those involved in helicopter chori, should they be punished or not? Should legal action be taken against them or not. However big they are, should action be taken against them or not? I want to know from the people of Tamil Nadu,” said Modi on Friday.
DC Take:
There can not be two opinions about the fact that the helicopter deal has assumed unprecedented political proportions. Congress is right when it says that instead of threatening it, Centre should take measures to bring the culprits to books. The Centre is yet to come up with any concrete evidence against the accused.
