MPs seek government explanation in Bofors issue (Lead)
April 26th, 2012 - 2:36 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, April 26 (IANS) There was uproar in both houses of parliament with the BJP and other opposition parties demanding an explanation from the government on former Swedish police chief Sten Lindstrom’s revelations on the Bofors gun payoff scandal, including the safe passage to main accused Ottavio Quattrocchi.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned thrice while business in the Lok Sabha was suspended till 2 p.m. following the commotion on the issue of the Rs.1,500 crore deal on the Bofors gun in the 1980s for the Indian Army.
In Rajya Sabha, BJP leaders shouted slogans “Who saved Quattrocchi”; this was countered by the Congress members who shouted back, “BJP!” (saved Quattrocchi).
Amid the din, repeated pleas of Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari to let the question hour proceed were not heeded to and he adjourned the house till 12 p.m.
The upper house was later adjourned till 2 p.m.
There were similar scenes in Lok Sabha with BJP attacking the government on Bofors issue.
“Bofors is a saga of continued corruption. Why was the red corner notice issued against Quattrocchi withdrawn? Quattrocchi was given a safe passage by the government. How did this happen?” asked BJP leader Jaswant Singh.
The Left demanded action against people responsible for letting Quattrocchi leave the country.
Basudeb Acharia, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader, said: “Quattrocchi was allowed to leave this country. There should be action against people who were responsible for this.”
His colleague Sitaram Yechury added that the Bofors issue had plagued the country for over 20 years and affected the reputations of many respectable people.
“Anything that further comes out in the Bofors case should be made public,” he added.
In an interview to website thehoot.org, Lindstrom, who had operated under pseudonym Swedish Deep Throat and was the whisteblower on the suspected corruption, said there was no evidence to show that late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had taken a bribe in the Bofors deal but he did not stop the cover-up to protect Quattrocchi.
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- Bofors storm rocks parliament, opposition seeks fresh probe (Third Lead) - Apr 26, 2012
- Opposition asks government to explain Bofors disclosures (Lead) - Apr 25, 2012
- Parties should apologise for misleading on Bofors: Congress - Apr 25, 2012
- We've been vindicated, say Bachchans after Bofors revelations - Apr 25, 2012
- BJP seeks structured debate on Bofors - Apr 26, 2012
- Bofors resurrected, Congress again on mat over Quattrocchi (Intro Roundup) - Apr 25, 2012
- Bofors truth revealed repeatedly: Congress - Apr 26, 2012
- Lindstrom's revelations clean chit for Rajiv: Congress - Apr 25, 2012
- Bofors resurrected, Congress on mat over Quattrochchi again (Roundup) - Apr 25, 2012
- What Lindstrom said on key players in Bofors scam - Apr 25, 2012
- 25 years of India's 'Watergate': The Bofors scandal (Lead) - Apr 25, 2012
- 25 years of India's 'Watergate': The Bofors scandal (Second Lead, superseding previous story) - Apr 25, 2012
Tags: bjp leaders, bofors case, bofors gun, bofors issue, communist party of india, communist party of india marxist, congress members, houses of parliament, indian army, jaswant singh, lindstrom, Lok Sabha, opposition parties, ottavio quattrocchi, payoff scandal, rajya sabha, safe passage, swedish police, upper house, uproar