Akhilesh Yadav hopes a 'return gift' from US as India clears $3.1 billion Boeing chopper deal

JAIPUR: With India clearing the 3.1 billion dollar helicopter deal with aviation major Boeing ahead of the Prime Minister's US visit, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today expressed hope that the country would get a "return gift" from America.

"I heard before leaving on the US trip, the Prime Minister said the chopper deal has been cleared. This is good for the nation and army that they would get new helicopters from (the) US...

"We are very ancient people. There has been a tradition of return gift in our families and society... The PM has gone to the US... Humein badha return gift milna chahiye (we should be getting a huge return gift)," Yadav said, addressing an event of the All India Yuva Yadav Maha Sabha here.

Speaking in the presence of Union Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh, Yadav said the deal would be good for the defence ministry.

The Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by the Prime Minister, had on September 22 cleared the deal for 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift choppers with aviation giant Boeing. Modi is currently in the US on an official visit.

Earlier talking to mediapersons, the UP Chief Minister said his government had received the Justice Vishnu Sahai Commission report on Muzaffarnagar riots and that it would be tabled in the state assembly soon.

When told that the report mentioned involvement of ruling and opposition parties in the riots, Yadav countered, "Have you (reporters) read the report? No... Aap mediawale bhi toh aag lagate ho... Breaking news us se kam nahin hai (media also ignites flames. Breaking news is nothing less than that)."