Sonia Gandhi a lioness, says Jyotiraditya

New Delhi, May 6: Describing Congress president Sonia Gandhi as a "lioness", party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday said her name does not figure in any authenticated document related to the AgustaWestland deal.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Scindia attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for making veiled attacks on Gandhi in their speeches.

"Sonia Gandhi is a lioness whom they are scared off," Scindia said, pointing towards the treasury benches.

Referring a letter from an Italian officer in AgustaWestland's India office Peter Hullet, Scindia said: "Hullet had written, Mrs. Gandhi and her closest set of advisers are the people the high commissioner should value.

"Does this government imply that high-commissioners and diplomatic heads of different countries wish to meet our leaders in cases of corruption," asked Scindia.

"Gandhi's name has not featured anywhere in authenticated documents, other than this unverified piece of paper that does not contain anyone's signature."

Scindia also quoted the deal's middlemen Christian Michel as saying: "I have never met one single Gandhi ever in my life. Not a letter, not a message, not a mention (their's) in any memo. I am absolutely sure that no money was ever paid to the Gandhis."

He also quoted the judgment passed by the Milan court where the Judge Marco Maiga had said: "We have no evidence against Sonia Gandhi. Only a mention of her in the facts, Mrs Gandhi has only been indicated as someone who will fly in the VVIP helicopters."

Scindia said: "The BJP must answer why it signed a deal of 36 Rafale aircraft for 9 billon dollars when UPA had bargained 125 aircraft for 10 billion dollars."

The Lok Sabha had a stormy day on Friday where treasury and opposition benches levelled charges related to corruption in the AgustaWestland deal against each other.

IANS