Tatra Trucks deal row: BJP targets A K Antony

NEW DELHI: In a bid to corner the Manmohan Singh government over the Tatra trucks deal, BJP on Monday said its MP had cautioned defence minister AK Antony against it in 2008, and asked under whose behest the 'scam' was allowed.

Releasing copies of the letter written in 2008 by the Jabalpur MP Rakesh Singh and Antony's reply, BJP said the communication made it clear that the defence minister was aware that 'better quality' trucks at half the price were being produced in Jabalpur.

"It's not true that the minister was not aware. That's why we are demanding his resignation. Congress says he is an honest man. If he is honest, then he should say how this corruption was allowed," Rakesh Singh said at a press conference here along with party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.

Singh, who wrote to Antony on May 12, 2008, also pointed out that 6x6 trucks were being made in the Jabalpur factory at 30 lakh while the defence ministry purchased the 4x4 trucks from Tatra-BEML at around 65 lakh.

The minister, in his reply on May 30, 2008, said his request for investigation into alleged favouritism in procurement of high mobility vehicles was being looked into.

"What prompted Antony to become inactive on this issue? Whose pressure was it? At whose behest these sudden changes in procurement criteria were made. Government owes an explanation. Prime minister owes an explanation," Javadekar said. He said an independent inquiry was possible only if the government comes out clearly and it is a court-monitored inquiry.

The Jabalpur MP said when there was no action on government's part, he raised the issue in Lok Sabha during zero hour on October 23, 2008. He had also mentioned that Ravi Rishi was in the negative list of the Eurocopter defence deal which was scrapped. He had said in his letter that vested interests wanted to bring changes in the technical parameters to eliminate competition and favour Tatra.

According to his letter, the tie-up between BEML and Tatra for production of heavy recovery vehicles was being investigated by CBI for non-fulfilment of indigenisation and continuing large imports.