Rahul Gandhi says 'happy to be targeted' as AgustaWestland deal continues to haunt Congress

With the ruling BJP escalating its attack on Congress in connection with the AugustaWestland VVIP chopper bribery case, its vice president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that he was not worried about the Centre's charge.

New Delhi: With the ruling BJP escalating its attack on main opposition party Congress in connection with the AugustaWestland VVIP chopper bribery case, its vice president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that he was not worried about the Centre's charge.

I am always being targeted, happy to be targeted: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said while reacting to BJP's allegations that one of his top aides Kanishka Singh was closely linked to the deal.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya this morning alleged that Kanishka Singh was connected to Guido Ralph Haschke, a middleman in the alleged VVIP chopper deal.

Questioning the role of Rahul Gandhi, Somaiya accused Congress vice president's close aide Kanishka Singh of having relations with Guido Ralph Haschke, who was arrested and involved in the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam, in which Emaar-MGF was a party.

It cannot be a coincidence that Guido Haschke, an alleged middleman in the chopper deal, is common in both the scams and that he is linked with Christian Michel, an accused in the VVIP chopper scam,” the BJP leader said.

AugustaWestland chopper deal continues to haunt Congress as its top brass is under scanner over allegations that they were paid huge kickbacks by the Italian firm in  its bid to seal the deal with India.

After Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her former political advisor Ahmad Patel, Kanishka Singh is under the scanner in connection with alleged corruption in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal.

Ruling NDA has alleged that Congress leaders received kickbacks in AugustaWestland deal which the Congress has strongly denied.

Former IAF chief SP Tyagi also figured in the scam and he is being questioned by the CBI for his alleged role.