NEW DELHI, March 26 (agencies): Political parties across the spectrum on Monday said army chief General VK Singh should have filed a complaint about his allegation that he was offered a bribe by a lobbyist to purchase substandard vehicles. The Congress party attacked Singh, asking why he kept quiet for so long
“It is really unfortunate. Being a government official and head of the Indian Army, he should have registered an FIR if someone came to him and offered a bribe,” said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari.
`Shocking offer`
Army chief Gen VK Singh, who has claimed that he was offered a bribe of Rs 14 crore for clearing a `sub-standard` procurement order, has said he could not understand the import of the statement and that is why he did not act against the person who made it.
“If a person who has just retired a few days ago tells you that you will get this if you do that thing and when you have never heard something like this, you would be shocked.
Earlier on the day, Union defence minister AK Antony ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into army chief`s allegations that he had been offered a bribe of Rs 14 crore.
“It is a serious allegation, I have already taken action,” Antony told reporters outside Parliament. But he refused to say what action had been taken and pointed out that Parliament session was on.
Defence ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said in New Delhi that the minister gave the orders after seeing reports of army chief`s claim in this regard.
“Allegation of army chief that he was offered bribe is serious, we have to handle it,” said defence minister AK Antony.
When asked if the Army chief had informed him about the bribe offer, he said, “Parliament is in session.”
Reacting to the allegation leveled by Gen Singh, BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said, “Both the defence minister and the army chief should have acted immediately.
“It is a criminal act and nobody should be allowed to go scot free after offering a bribe,” he told reporters outside Parliament.
Information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni said, “Whenever such allegation is leveled by any senior official, the government makes sure that it is clarified.”
“He (Gen Singh) has said a very serious thing in his statement and everything should be made clear in black and white,” she said.
On the statement of Gen Singh, former Army chief Deepak Kapoor said, “It is below my dignity to comment on the allegation.”
Earlier on Monday, the Parliament adjourned till noon after ruckus by the BJP leaders over army chief general VK Singh`s reported statement that he was offered Rs 14 crore bribe.
“The BJP leaders should introspect about their own actions,” says Manish Tiwari.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday gave notice for suspension of Question Hour in Parliament, wanted to discuss army chief General VK Singh`s claims of being offered Rs 14 crore bribe.
The government is neckdeep in corruption, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Monday, calling “very serious” army chief Gen VK Singh`s allegation that he had been offered a bribe to clear a tranche of 600 substandard vehicles.
Party MP Prakash Javadekar said revelations by the army chief were “very serious”.
Javadekar, a BJP MP in the Rajya Sabha, said he had given a notice for suspension of question hour to raise the issue.
“The government is neckdeep in corruption. The UPA has lost the right to continue even for a day,” Javadekar told television channels.
In an interview to a newspaper, the army chief alleged that an equipment lobbyist offered him a bribe of Rs 14 crore, which he had reported to the defence minister.
He said the lobbyist offered him the bribe in order to have a tranche of 600 sub-standard vehicles of a particular make cleared for purchase.
The army chief also added that the defence minister AK Antony was apprised of the matter.
In the interview Singh said, “One of these men had the gumption to walk up to me and tell me that if I cleared the tranche, he would give me Rs 14 crore. He was offering a bribe to me, to the army chief. He told me that people had taken money before me and they will take money after me.”
“Things are fast unravelling and you will soon see the hand behind the drama. You will soon see who the sutradhar of the play is,” he also added.