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Days after the Comptroller and Auditor General slammed the government for showing undue haste in concluding the 50 Boeing aircraft deal for Air India,the main Opposition BJP on Wednesday said the decision to increase the number of Boeing aircraft to be acquired by the carrier from 28 to 68 in a year had the approval of Prime Minister and the then Finance Minister P Chidambaram.
It demanded the Public Accounts Committee look into this specific decision. BJP spokesperson and former civil aviation minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy argued that Air India had proposed to buy 28 aircraft in 2004. It went up to 68 in a year. The EGoM headed by Chidambaram decided in 2005 that Air India will place the entire order for 68 aircraft with Boeing on firm basis, he said.
We want to know on what basis was the decision taken by Chidambaram to make that order on firm basis. And how the proposal for 28 became 68 in a year? Why was that decision taken? There is no clarity. We are not an investigating agency. But we want to understand the logic behind that decision, he said. Rudy also circulated a note written by Chidambaram to the Prime Minister on December 30,2005 on the actions taken by the EGoM.
Chidambaram has written that Air India will place the entire order for 68 aircraft with Boeing on firm basis. He alleged the purchase had the approval of the Prime Minister. Both Chidambaram and the Prime Minister cannot absolve themselves.
Rudy alleged there was a scam but qualified the charge by saying that he was unable to pinpoint the beneficiary of the scam.