BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Saturday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to withhold the approvals given to Jet-Etihad and AirAsia as these deals were under the consideration of courts. He also alleged that Finance and Civil Aviation Ministries played a dubious role in granting permission for these deals.
Citing the recent Supreme Court and Delhi court interventions on these deals, Swamy asked the PM to intervene on the “rush and hurry” by the Finance and Civil Aviation Ministries on these approvals.
“But from Day One, the stench of corruption seems to pervade the corridors of your Ministries. Some of your Ministers are neck-deep in corruption for pushing such deals. I also find from my informed sources in Government that several secret trips have been taken on private corporate jets from Delhi/Mumbai to Abu Dhabi/Dubai and to Singapore for the purpose of consummating the deals,” said Swamy in his letter to the Prime Minister.
Providing details of the flight movements of VIPs, Swamy alleged that Jet-Etihad and AirAsia deals were involving quid pro quo and the matter should be probed under Prevention of Corruption Act by CBI. Swamy said both deals would ultimately lead to collapse of the national carrier Air India and domestic operators in India.
“It is also to be noticed that in the 2G Spectrum scam, the cancellation of the licences held by Etisalat of UAE, caused much distress in the city because of the aborted quid pro quo in that deal. Hence, it is a matter for investigation whether the bilateral agreement for airspace between Government of India and UAE, which is against public interest, is to sweeten the rage following the cancellation of the 2G licence of Etisalat,” said Swamy. Recently Supreme Court and Delhi High Court had issued notice to Centre on Jet-Etihad and AirAsia deals on the petition filed by Swamy.