Bhopal: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman justified Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that late PM Rajiv Gandhi had used INS Viraat for personal trip, quoting that a crew from the warship had narrated the incident. Sitharaman was talking to media persons at the BJP headquarters here on Thursday. When asked about her remarks on Rajiv Gandhi, she said it was a family trip on Viraat.
Notably, retired Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha has claimed that Gandhi was on an official trip, Sitharaman started replying saying it was not only her comment but also an article published on the issue in a leading magazine in 2013. She claimed she has not seen whatever the retired Vice Admiral had said but she did see something her staff member told as she was on her way to BJP office in Bhopal.
“A person who has identified himself as a crew of Viraat has claimed the Rajiv Gandhi did take the tour with family and in laws,” said the minister saying she could offer the copy of the said statement to the media.
Earlier, commenting on the PM Modi’s accusations that late PM Rajiv Gandhi used Viraat as a private taxi for ferrying family on trip, claimed this was nothing new and was in public domain for years a leading magazine had carried an article on this in year 2013.
“What would the new government do on this, I won’t be able to comment right now,” said the minister adding she would definitely say this the party which brazenly misused the army, navy and air force is now accusing PM Modi of politicising the armed forces.
Trashing Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s accusation against the Prime Minister over Rafale deal, the Defence minister claimed it was like mounting a tiger and now the Supreme Court, CAG and others have offered the clean chit to PM, Gandhi does not how to get off that tiger.