Parrikar's address on AgustaWestland row 'one of the best speeches': PM

Showering praise on Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for his reply on the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal in the Rajya Sabha yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the former rose above politics.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi described the Defence Minister's address as 'one of the best speeches displaying best parliamentary traditions'.

The much-awaited reply of Parrikar to the debate on the controversial AgustaWestland chopper deal was delivered yesterday amid ruckus in the Rajya Sabha, leading to a Congress walkout over its demand to set up a time-bound Supreme Court-monitored CBI inquiry into the alleged bribery scandal.

Alleging that the procurement process in the AgustaWestland deal was violated, Parrikar yesterday said that the former UPA regime had created 'single-vendor situation' to benefit from the same.

Parrikar said the UPA regime tried to take the longer route of writing to the embassy and the court etc. instead of taking action against the company.

He also said that the government probe 'will focus on the role of those named in the judgment of the Italian court'.