Mumbai Live’s news report on State government’s decision to hire planes and helicopters of controversial aviation company Augusta Westland has given an ammunition to the opposition parties who have launched a scathing attack on the government on Monday. Congress party’s chief spokesperson Sachin Sawant condemned the double standard policy of the State government and asked it for clarification why it took the decision to use helicopters from the company against which the BJP had raised a storm during the UPA government regime.
Sawant attacked the BJP-led State government by saying that the CBI inquiry was ordered in the Augusta Westland company’s deal when Congress was in the rule at the Centre. After Narendra Modi-led NDA government came to power, the contract with the said company was scrapped and the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had made it clear. BJP’s national president Amit Shah had termed Augusta Westland as a bogus and fraud company, he reminded.
Now, the BJP-led State government has decided to use the choppers for travelling purposes of the VVIPs. These choppers are said to be taken from this company. This whole thing indicates double standards of the State government, alleged Sawant.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Madhu Chavhan said that the government has nowhere in its notification has stated that helicopters from August Westland should be used. If the concerned agencies provide Augusta Westland choppers then the government can reject them. The Central, as well as State government, will not act in such a way that may benefit the company embroiled in the charges of corruption, he added.