Image Source : FILE/PTI Did he or did he not? That is the question. But even if he did, is it really that unethical? Did he or did he not? That is the question. But even if he did, is it really that unethical? So many questions and nobody to answer. But the two biggest political parties of the country are still sparring over former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's purported vacation in 1987 in the Lakshadweep archipelago. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently stoked a controversy when he dug out an old India Today magazine article that said the late Rajiv Gandhi took his whole family and a bunch of guests to a vacation in Lakshadweep aboard INS Viraat. For the unversed, INS Viraat is a warship and is used only for security and defence purposes. The India Today article had described the vacation as a family getaway, and quite controversial due to the presence of Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan and his family. "Questionable actions were, however, in evidence. India's premier warship, INS Vir[a]at, was used to transport the Gandhis and moved in the Arabian Sea for 10 days. Its daily expenditure at sea is astronomical as the Virat travels with an entire retinue of escort ships," the India Today article read. PM Modi, quite conveniently, quoted this and said the Gandhi family used Indian warships for family vacations. Since then, a plethora of responses and reactions have made way to the news to refute, denigrate or even, for that matter, make peace with the fact that there indeed was a vacation. Yes, there was a vacation. But who does not go for a vacation? But by a national warship? The then skipper of the aircraft carrier, Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha (retd), on May 9, in an interview to Hindustan Times, has contradicted the claim stressing the late Rajiv Gandhi embarked the vessel in his official capacity and there were no foreign nationals aboard. He added Gandhi spent two nights on board, and that no foreigners accompanied him. Pasricha, who retired in 2002 as the Western Naval Command chief, said that none of the allegations were true The Hindustan Times report adds that Pasricha said Rajiv Gandhi was accompanied by his wife Sonia, son Rahul and a couple of IAS officers. “We hosted a dinner for them in the wardroom so that the crew could meet the PM. The Gandhis did not have any parties on board. I find this controversy quite amusing,” HT quotes Pasricha, as saying. Another retired navy officer endorsed Pasricha’s version, saying it was not uncommon for prime ministers and their spouses to board warships in their official capacity. News agency IANS reports that Admiral Ramdas, who was the chief of naval staff then, in a detailed statement, said the then prime minister had gone on an official trip to the Lakshadweep Islands to chair a meeting of the Islands Development Authority (IDA) held alternatively between Andaman and Lakshadweep Islands. There were no parties held on INS Viraat or any of the other four warships accompanying the erstwhile aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy and no foreigners accompanied Rajiv Gandhi, said Admiral Ramdas, who is now settled in Raigad, adjoining Mumbai. IANS further says the statement was issued after collating responses from his former senior naval colleagues -- Admiral Arun Prakash, Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha and Vice Admiral Madanjit Singh -- all of whom were serving in the Western Fleet. "The PM is authorised to travel along with his spouse by service aircraft on official duties," Admiral Ramdas said. Another officer said the meetings and functions were held in December 1987 and the Western Fleet had planned its naval exercises with the (INS Viraat) much in advance in the annual exercise programme to be conducted in that region in the Arabian Sea. "This was an opportunity for the officers and men to interact with their Prime Minister. He addressed the men, had ‘Bada Khana' as per naval traditions," said an officer who later hosted a dinner for Rajiv Gandhi and produced a photograph to confirm it. A retired IAS officer, Habibullah, remembered how Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi landed in Lakshadweep in a government chopper. He told India Today: "INS Viraat was in the sea for the PM's backup security. The Prime Minister needs backup security and in the middle of the ocean, there's no other option other than warships." But, there are naysayers too. At the time of the events -- in 1987, a series of articles were published in the Indian Express that completely derided the aforesaid vacay. An article published on December 28, 1987 said "informed sources say preparations for the Prime Minister’s holiday started about four months back…" A January 24, 1988 article penned by N Madhavan Kutty stated: "At least eight foreigners joined the Prime Minister and his family during their New Year holiday here. In all, the group consisted of 24 men, women and children. Looking after their needs were 70 persons from various departments, cooks and valets and naval personnel. Nearly 1,200 policemen drawn from Lakshadweep Police and Madhya Pradesh Armed Special Police, based at neighbouring Agatti island, were on patrol on the periphery of Bangaram." "The PM’s powerful personal secretary, V George… had stayed back at INS Viraat along with Mani Shankar Iyer, Mrs Sarla Grewal, M M Jacob and others…" it added. Back in the January of 1988, the BJP had asked Rajiv to reveal names of “holiday guests” at Lakshadweep. BJP general secretary Krishnalal Sharma had named Amitabh Bachchan as a guest which raised doubts. Cut to 2019, when a group of ex-naval officers backed PM Modi's claim. Former Navy Commander (retired) VK Jaitly said the Gandhi family had extensively used naval resources during their holidays. Jaitly spoke to Republic and said, "I was witness to the entire episode. A room was readied in the admiral’s cabin for the Gandhis. It's true that the Gandhis used INS Viraat to head towards Lakshadweep. It’s not a small thing. Vice Admiral Pasricha was our commanding officer. He would know about the foreigners. The warship was anchored off Lakshadweep.<doc-sep>A retired Indian Navy officer who was involved in planning former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's now controversial 1987 Lakshadweep trip has refuted allegations that the late prime minister misused the now-decommissioned Indian Naval Ship (INS) Viraat for a family vacation. PM Narendra Modi, speaking at an election rally recently, had accused Rajiv Gandhi of using INS Viraat as his "personal taxi". PM Modi alleged that Rajiv Gandhi used INS Viraat for a "family vacation" in the Lakshadweep archipelago. Retired Commodore Ajay Chitnis, while speaking to India Today TV, refuted the charges. He was the officer who had helped plan the trip in question. Chitnis said in late 1987, Rajiv Gandhi and his wife Sonia Gandhi travelled on INS Viraat from Trivandrum, now known as Thiruvananthapuram, to Lakshadweep. According to Chitnis, Rajiv Gandhi was in Trivandrum to attend the closing ceremony of National Games and he went to Lakshadweep to chair an islands' development authority meeting. Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia arrived on INS Viraat on a helicopter and the next day, disembarked on the Bangaram Island in Lakshadweep, Chitnis said, adding there were no other friends or family on board the aircraft carrier. As prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi was entitled to travel onboard INS Viraat along with his wife, Chitnis said. The retired Navy officer said Rajiv Gandhi's children and other family members joined him on Bangaram after he had finished his official meetings. Chitnis also refuted allegations that Indian Navy helicopters were used to fly in Rajiv Gandhi's guests or refreshments for the vacation. Chitnis said civilian helicopters were used to fly in the refreshments for the guests. Chitnis compared Rajiv Gandhi's 1987 trip to Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting forward areas such as the Siachen Glacier area and having a meal with the Indian Army officers and jawans posted there. Chitnis said Rajiv Gandhi similarly came on board INS Viraat and had a meal with the Indian Navy personnel posted on the warship.<doc-sep>Rajiv Gandhi and his family used Indian Navy's aircraft carrier INS Viraat to go for a vacation during his tenure as prime minister, Narendra Modi said at a public rally in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on Wednesday. Training the guns on Gandhi family, PM Modi said that Rajiv Gandhi also employed navy staff and helicopter for making his family and friends' stay comfortable during the island vacation. "Have you ever heard that someone uses INS Viraat to enjoy holiday? It happened when Rajiv Gandhi was the PM of this country? INS Viraat, which was deployed on sea borders, was sent to facilitate a holiday for 10 days," PM Modi said during the rally. The prime minister also said that Rajiv Gandhi took his in-laws along with him on the vacation onboard INS Viraat. Rajiv Gandhi's in-laws were Italian citizens. "Foreigners were allowed to enter the INS Viraat, was it not a compromise with National security? They put nation first and security of Indian citizens second," Modi said. #WATCH PM Modi in Delhi: At the time when, INS Virat was positioned for protection of maritime boundaries, it was sent to take Rajiv Gandhi and his family to an island for their holiday. Even his in-laws were onboard INS Virat. Was it not a compromise of national security? pic.twitter.com/3RXdtJHF2m May 8, 2019 PM Modi was referring to the infamous Lakshadweep vacation took by Gandhi family in 1987. According to an India Today magazine report, the family had taken along quite a few of their Indian and international friends on the uninhabited island of Bangaram in the Lakshadweep archipelago, 465 km west of Cochin. Even as the report said that Rajiv Gandhi had asked to pay the bills of vacation by himself, the point of controversy was use of INS Viraat. Especially because the warship's daily expenditure at sea was astronomical as the Viraat travelled with an entire retinue of escort ships. A submarine was also reported to be in attendance and some defence experts questioned the justification of depriving the navy of its most effective fighting component merely to suit Rajiv's holiday plans. Considerable expense was also incurred in setting up a special satellite link up at Agatti for the duration of the holiday, the report said. INS Viraat was Indian Navy's flagship aircraft carrier. It was commissioned in 1987 and served for almost 30 years.<doc-sep>Hack: Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam has admitted that former PM had gone had gone for vacation in Lakshadweep He has targeted PM Modi on his foreign trip and his photo shoot at Jim Corbett His claims are in contrast to Commander VK Jaitly who was then posted on INS Viraat and had said 'naval resources were used.' Hours after Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam said that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was in an official programme on INS Viraat, he has admitted that the late PM went to Lakshadweep for holidays. However, he has attacked Prime Minister Modi for his foreign trips. Talking to news agency ANI, Congress leader Nirupam said: "The then Vice-Admiral of INS Viraat Pasricha has said that late PM Rajiv Gandhi had gone on an official trip and was not accompanied by any foreigner. However, I will agree that they had gone for vacation in Lakshadweep, that holiday vacation was very famous, but as far as using INS Viraat as 'personal taxi' is claimed, there is nothing as such. Modi ji also travels all over the world, he has spent 6 thousand crores on his foreign trips, when he had gone to Jim Corbett and done a photo shoot, was it his own money?" However, his claims are in contrast to Commander VK Jaitly who was then posted on INS Viraat. Talking to Republic TV, Commander VK Jaitly had said: "I was witness to the entire episode. A room was readied in the admiral’s cabin for the Gandhis. It’s true that the Gandhis used INS Viraat to head towards Lakshadweep. It’s not a small thing. Vice Admiral Pasricha was our commanding officer. He would know about the foreigners. The warship was anchored off Lakshadweep. It’s was not a small fleet. We were told they were coming to ship and that it would sail to Bangaram. One admiral room was readied. The ship went to Kochi to pick them up. They stayed overnight." MASSIVE: 'Rajiv And Sonia Gandhi Used INS Viraat For Travel To Celebrate Their Holidays. I Am Witness,' Confirms Commander VK Jaitly (retd.) He then added: "After that, they left towards Lakshadweep on a chopper. They did stay on a ship. The ship anchored nearby Bangaram. The aircraft carrier never sails alone. Several Naval ships accompanied. Resources were used." Prime Minister Modi had claimed on Wednesday in his poll rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan that the Nehru-Gandhi family misused and insulted the INS Viraat after former PM Rajiv Gandhi used the warship to bring his in-laws for their vacation at an island. "Congress' naamdaar family had misused the pride of the country, INS Viraat, like its personal taxi. They had insulted it. This incident is of that time when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister of the country and they had gone out on vacation for 10 days. During that time, INS Viraat was stationed to guard the maritime boundaries, but it was sent to bring the Gandhi family who was going on vacation. After that, INS Viraat had stopped at a special island with their entire family. It was there for 10 days. Among those who were holidaying with Rajiv Gandhi were his in-laws," PM Modi added. Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has not responded directly on INS Viraat charge by the PM but has said: "You want to talk about Rajiv Gandhi, you want to talk about me, you can talk all you want. But make the citizens understand what you did in the Rafale matter. You tell the citizens what happened about the promise of employment that you made to the two crore people."<doc-sep>
NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s accusation that former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and his family used India’s aircraft carrier INS Viraat for holiday trip when the latter was in power in New Delhi in the 1980s has stirred a controversy with retired navy personnel supporting and disputing Modi’s statement. On Wednesday, addressing an election rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, Modi said, “Friends, have you ever heard of anyone going on a holiday with his family on a warship? Don’t be surprised at this question. This has happened, in our country. The biggest ‘namdaar’ family of the Congress had used INS Viraat, the country’s pride, as its personal taxi." “INS Viraat was securing the maritime boundaries at the time. But it was sent to fetch the Gandhi family going on vacation… In the list of holidayers were members of his sasuraal. Was the country’s security jeopardised or not?" Modi had asked. India is in the midst of a general election with five phases of voting completed and two phases still to go. Results of the polls are expected on 23 May. On Thursday, a Twitter post by Commander V.K. Jaitly, whose Twitter handle said that he was with the Navy for 22 years, seemed to corroborate Modi’s remarks. “Rajiv and Sonia Gandhi used INS Viraat for travel to celebrate their holidays at Bangaram island. Indian Navy resources were used extensively. I am a witness. I was posted on INS Viraat that time," the post said. A report in the India Today news magazine in the 1980s said that Rajiv Gandhi was accompanied by his Italian born wife Sonia Gandhi, her mother, sister and brother-in-law besides some other relatives. Rajiv’s son, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and sister Priyanka, who is a Congress party general secretary were also on the islands with some friends, the India Today report said. The Gandhis’ were also accompanied by Bollywood film star Amitabh Bachchan and his family, the report added. Refuting Modi’s charge, however, were news reports quoting Vice Admiral (retd) Vinod Pasricha, who was in-charge of INS Viraat. Pasricha was quoted as saying that the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and his wife Sonia Gandhi were onboard the warship for an official two-day tour. All protocols were followed at the time and no foreigners or other guests were present, he said. “Nobody was on a holiday. Only Rahul Gandhi was with his family. No foreigner was with the PM," the former naval officer said. Seemingly backing Pasricha’s comments was a statement from former Navy chief L. Ramdas who said in a statement that no ships were "specially diverted" for the personal use of the Gandhi family, neither were there any foreigners who came on board the vessel. "The prime minister was at Trivandrum as a chief guest for National Games prize distribution. He was going to Lakshadweep on official duty to chair a meeting of Islands Development Authority. This meeting is held alternately in Lakshadweep and Andamans... I then hosted a dinner for the prime minister that night. And there is a photo to confirm this," he said in a statement. According to Wajahat Habibullah, who was the administrator of Lakshwadeep Islands in the 1980s, then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi arrived on the islands in a government chopper. "INS Viraat was in the sea for the PM's backup security. The Prime Minister needs backup security and in the middle of the ocean, there's no other option other than warships," Habibullah was quoted as saying by the India Today news website. "Rajiv Gandhi went to Lakshwadeep on an official meeting and decided to stay back when his guests also joined him. No foreigner or even the guests were allowed onboard INS Viraat," he was quoted as saying. Get all the updates of Lok Sabha Elections 2019 here Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics