I will not resign over Choppergate: Antony

New Delhi, February 19, 2013: Playing down reports that he has offered to resign over Choppergate, Defence Min A K Antony has said he will do his duty and is getting ready for the Budget Session of Parliament.

"I will do my duty. I am getting ready for Parliament session. I am getting ready for my duty," he told reporters on being asked whether he will resign.

Antony said he is sad over the allegations of kickbacks despite taking all precautions at all stages.

Ruling out differences within the Government on the issue of dealing with the controversy, he said the whole government is acting together in the matter.

"Nothing like that. Whole Government is acting together. It is the decision of the government that we must get to the root of the controversy...we must get the truth, find out... and whoever did it should be brought to the law at the earliest...there is no difference," he said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Antony was replying to questions about perception of differences within the government on dealing with the matter.

He said that Government and his ministry have nothing to hide on the matter and assured that nobody will be spared if any wrongdoing found.

"We will take action....nobody will be spared. We are rigorously trying to get the truth," the Defence Minister said.

Replying to a volley of questions on why action is not being taken against individuals here, Antony said that so far whatever has come out is media reports and promised that the government will not compromise on transparency.

"We are trying to get the details of the investigation. ...We are proceeding as per the law. Unless we get some concrete evidence....unless something is officially with us, how can we act? We are rigorously trying to get the truth. Before that we do not want to jump to conclusions," he said.

Rejecting suggestions of any political influence in the deal, Antony said, "In India's defence procurements, there is no political decision."

We have nothing to hide: Khurshid

Def Ministry will recommend what it thinks appropriate on the issue of the Rs 3,600 crore contract to procure VVIP choppers from an Italian firm, Ext Aff Min Salman Khurshid said while making it clear that he has not expressed reservations on scrapping the deal.

"We should not be pressuried by anything. We have nothing to hide. It is an outrightly objective procedure that has been followed.

"Keeping all that in mind, the Defence Ministry will recommend what it thinks is appropriate," Khurshid told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The Minister also said he has not expressed reservations on scrapping of the deal by the Defence Ministry.

"I have not expressed any reservations. I had only said it sounds sensible, the decision has to be a collective decision of the Government led by the Ministry of Defence," he said.

He was responding to questions on reports that he had expressed reservations over scrapping of the deal.