New Delhi: Congress today defended
government's decision to withdraw the Bofors pay-off case
against Ottavio Quattrocchi, saying the opposition had brought
the "phantom of Bofors" often though the case could not
withstand legal scrutiny.
"The Opposition has been bringing out the phantom of
Bofors from the cupboard and playing it again and again for
the last 23 years but whenever this issue went to any court in
India or abroad, it could not withstand legal scrutiny,"
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said.
Defending the government's decision, which was conveyed to
the Supreme Court today, Tewari said," CBI has reached the
conclusion that nothing can be done legally in the matter any
more. People should respect the agency's decision".
Tewari dismissed BJP's claim that Quattrocchi was being
shielded by the government.
"Just because it suits some opposition leaders who have
built their career by making hulla-ballu about it, it doesn't
mean that the issue should not be brought to an end," he said.
Attacking BJP for raking up the issue, Tewari said BJP has
been screaming conspiracy since 1987 to 2009.
"From 1998 to 2004, four orders of Malayasian courts came
when NDA was in government (but Quattrocchi's guilt could
not be proved).... This proves that Bofors was nothing but a
political balloon," Tewari said.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 19:12