Chairman Hamid Ansari asks TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy to leave Rajya Sabha – Know why

The BJP had questioned the silence of the TMC and the CPI(M) over the VVIP chopper deal.

New Delhi: Chairman Hamid Ansari on Monday asked Trinamool Congress MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy to withdraw from Rajya Sabha for the day as he raised VVIP chopper deal issue, despite his notice being rejected.

Raising objection to Ansari's decision, the TMC members stage walkout of Upper House after Roy was asked to leave the House for the day.

The Trinamool today had given a notice in the Rajya Sabha for suspension of all business to pave way for immediate discussion on the alleged AgustaWestland chopper scam.

Earlier, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had questioned the silence of the TMC and the CPI(M) over the VVIP chopper deal.

AgustaWestland`s Rs 3,600 crore contract for supplying 12 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force had been scrapped by the previous UPA regime over charges of paying kickbacks to Indian agents.

In January 2013, the Manmohan Singh-led UPA Government cancelled the deal and the CBI was assigned to investigate whether kickbacks were paid to Indian officials.