New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) Stung by allegations that its government paid kickbacks in an air defence missile deal with Israel, the Congress today defended the decision to award the contract and rejected "accusations of any wrongdoing" against Defence Minister A K Antony or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"We reject any accusation of any wrongdoing. We reject any such insinuations against a person of the integrity of Antony and the government-led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," Party spokesperson Anand Sharma told reporters here.
"Allegations are allegations. It is for the concerned ministry to respond," he said, when reporters asked if the deal, reported to be worth Rs 10,000-crore was "UPA's Bofors".
India had this February 27 signed a contract with the Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (IAI) for jointly developing and producing the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM), which was admitted by the defence company yesterday in an Israeli business magazine 'Globes'.
However, the Defence Ministry here and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have continued to remain mum, refusing any official comment on the deal or the Rs 600-crore bribery charges.
Antony had personally approved the deal with the Israeli company after various wings of the Defence Ministry claimed it was in "national interest," despite Left parties objecting to it in a letter to Manmohan Singh, citing CBI probe and the Vigilance objections in the supply of Barak missile for the Indian Navy.
Congress denies 'wrongdoing' in defence deal with Israel
"We reject any accusation of any wrongdoing. We reject any such insinuations against a person of the integrity of Antony and the government-led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," Party spokesperson Anand Sharma told reporters here.
"Allegations are allegations. It is for the concerned ministry to respond," he said, when reporters asked if the deal, reported to be worth Rs 10,000-crore was "UPA's Bofors".
India had this February 27 signed a contract with the Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (IAI) for jointly developing and producing the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM), which was admitted by the defence company yesterday in an Israeli business magazine 'Globes'.
However, the Defence Ministry here and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have continued to remain mum, refusing any official comment on the deal or the Rs 600-crore bribery charges.
Antony had personally approved the deal with the Israeli company after various wings of the Defence Ministry claimed it was in "national interest," despite Left parties objecting to it in a letter to Manmohan Singh, citing CBI probe and the Vigilance objections in the supply of Barak missile for the Indian Navy.
Congress denies 'wrongdoing' in defence deal with Israel
