An albatross around the neck? If you don’t like what they are saying, change the conversation. PM Modi appears to have taken a leaf from fictional adman Don Draper as he turned the ‘chowkidar chor hai’ chant on his head to take a walk down memory lane and target the Gandhi family. At a time when the Congress is accusing BJP of ‘using the armed forces to seek votes’, PM Modi threw a spanner in the works by raking up an old vacation when the Gandhi family treated, in the PM’s words, India’s premier warship as ‘its personal taxi’. That the PM had something in mind was evident when he called Rajiv Gandhi ‘Corrupt Number 1’ at a rally on May 4, and he followed up that attack with the revelations of a long-forgotten trip in 1987 that is likely to leave the Congress red-faced, particularly since the new generation of voters might not be too aware about this particular trip.<doc-sep>“I, as Flag officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command also boarded INS Viraat. There were no other parties held on board INS Viraat,” Admiral L. Ramdas said in an open letter A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed in an election speech that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had used aircraft carrier INS Viraat for personal holiday in 1987 along with his family, the then top brass of the Navy on Thursday denied the comments, stating that the late Rajiv Gandhi was on-board the vessel on an official trip en route to the Lakshadweep islands. “I would like to state unequivocally that this [allegation that Mr. Gandhi was on holiday with his family] was not the case,” former Navy Chief Admiral L. Ramdas said in a statement, with collated responses from other top officers of the Western Fleet at that time. “There were no foreigners with them. I, as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Southern Naval Command, based in Cochin, also boarded INS Viraat. Four other ships were with INS Viraat as part of Fleet exercises. As FOC-in-C, I hosted a dinner for them on board INS Viraat. There were no other parties held on board INS Viraat or, for that matter, any other ship in our fleet during that time,” he said. Corroborated The former officers quoted in the statement include Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha, then Captain and Commanding Officer (CO) of INS Viraat; former Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash, then CO of INS Vindhyagiri, which was accompanying the carrier; and Vice Admiral Madanjit Singh, then CO of INS Ganga. Adm. Ramdas stated that Rajiv Gandhi and Mrs. Gandhi had embarked on-board INS Viraat off Thiruvananthapuram, where the former PM had been the chief guest for the National Games prize distribution ceremony, and were en route to the Lakshwadeep islands. They visited some of the islands on short trips by helicopter to meet local officials there, which the Prime Minister is authorised to do, Adm. Ramdas pointed. “From what I know, only Rajiv and Sonia went ashore by helicopter and Rahul never accompanied them,” he observed. ‘Not diverted’ However, on the last day of the visit, when they went to Bangaram island, a few naval divers had been sent ashore for the PM’s safety, Adm. Ramdas said. Stating that no ships were “specially diverted for the personal use of the Gandhi family,” Adm. Ramdas said the Western Fleet had planned its Naval exercises with the aircraft carrier much in advance. “This was an opportunity for the officers and men to interact with their PM. He addressed the men, had ‘bada khana’, as per Naval custom,” he added. Separately, Vice Admiral Pasricha, too, told the media that the claim was totally wrong, and all protocols had been followed. Congress targeted Speaking in Bhopal, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman targeted the Congress on the issue. “What happened on INS Viraat is known to everyone and it is in the public domain. The clear misuse of the Army, Navy and Air Force by the Congress is well-known but now they [the Congress] are shedding crocodile tears asking whether PM Modi is misusing the name of the military,” she said. However, when pointed out that a former Vice Admiral had denied that the warship was used by Mr. Gandhi’s family, Ms. Sitharaman said she was not aware of the former Vice Admiral’s statement.<doc-sep>Rajiv Gandhi on board INS Viraat. (Express Archive) Rajiv Gandhi on board INS Viraat. (Express Archive) At a campaign rally on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Rajiv Gandhi and his family, including his in-laws from Italy, had used the aircraft carrier INS Viraat as a “personal taxi” on a private “10-day vacation” on an island. The Indian Express published several news reports, features, and pictures relating to Rajiv’s visit to Lakshadweep around New Year’s Day in 1988. Some excerpts from The Indian Express’s coverage: December 16, 1987 Barren islet to host Rajiv’s holiday P Raman, New Delhi “The Prime Minister, Mr Rajiv Gandhi, who had spent the last year-end in the Andamans with his Italian in-laws and friends, will have his holiday this year in a barren island of the Lakshadweep group. Securitymen, contractors and Congress (I) leaders are being pressed into service to prepare for the comforts of the Prime Minister’s exclusive entourage, who, according to the present programme, will spend the week after Christmas in the island. The Express front page story reporting the prime minister’s holiday. The Express front page story reporting the prime minister’s holiday. Engineers and workers are building helipads and temporary “hutments” with modern facilities which have to be brought from the mainland, some 200 km to 400 km away….Almost everything — except coconut and fish — will have to be airlifted… This includes cooks, water and generators, in addition to the omnipresent securitymen and attendants.” December 28, 1987 Islands ‘booked’ for PM Express News Service, Cochin “The movement of people to and from the mainland to Lakshadweep has virtually been sealed for the Prime Minister’s holiday in one of the uninhabited islands of the archipelago….Anybody who wants to go to the Dweep now has to wait till after the Prime Minister’s holiday. The issue of tickets has been closed for all the ships till January 15. The reason given by officials was that all available seats were booked in advance by passengers and some seats were reserved for ministers and officials here in connection with the Prime Minister’s visit. Informed sources say preparations for the Prime Minister’s holiday started about four months back…” READ | No ships specially diverted for personal use of Gandhis: Retd Admiral on PM’s INS Viraat remark December 29, 1987 To top it all… Express News Service, Cochin “The Lakshadweep administration has a pleasant surprise for the big contingent of Central ministers, officials and their family members, not to mention the Prime Minister, visiting the island. Large quantities of ambalapazha palpayasam, one of the choicest puddings of Keralites, have been airlifted to Lakshadweep to treat the visiting dignitaries…” INS Viraat was decommissioned in 2017. (Express Photo: Nirmal Harindran) INS Viraat was decommissioned in 2017. (Express Photo: Nirmal Harindran) December 30, 1987 PM’s choice not dry Express News Service, Cochin “Bangaram Island, chosen by the Prime Minister, Mr Rajiv Gandhi, to spend his year-end holiday, enjoys a special status in the archipelago. It is the only island where consumption of liquor is permitted. In all these other Muslim-majority islands, prohibition is strictly in force. The only other place where a traveller to Lakshadweep is allowed to drink is aboard ship. …It is understood that the prime minister is planning to host a new year’s party aboard a ship. According to sources, cartons of some of the choicest brands of liquor have already been sent to Bangaram to cater to the needs of VIPs. Chicken, meat and fresh vegetables are being airlifted from Cochin after thorough checks by health inspectors.” Read | Cong hits back at Modi’s INS Viraat remark: You have made IAF jets your ‘own taxi’ January 24, 1988 The holiday that was N Madhavan Kutty, Bangaram (Lakshadweep) “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. Security was, naturally, tight, reinforced by a 24-hour watch by a naval fleet. According to reliable sources, among the Indian Navy vessels performing various duties in connection with the holiday were aircraft carrier INS Viraat, the frigates INS Vindhyagiri and INS Taragiri, and the landing craft carrier 39 INS Magar. The Lakshadweep Administration’s oil tankers MT Suheli and MT Bharat were also there. Passenger liners like MV Bharatseema and research vessels like Sagardeep had been taken off their regular duty and put on the holiday tasks. Innumerable boats of the local administration, including 40 hp high-speed boats, and the Navy’s yachting boats were pressed into service. The Navy also provided a windsurfer for the holiday makers… …There was recreation aplenty as the Prime Minister and his party went swimming and boating and tuna fishing in the seas. Kabaddi with men and women lined up against each other provided the Indian touch. The New Year night was marked by a firelit party on the sands… …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…” The Express Magazine cover, January 24, 1988. The Express Magazine cover, January 24, 1988. Read | Gandhis holidayed on board INS Viraat when Rajiv was PM: Modi January 24, 1988 The VVIP list Express News Service, Cochin “The Prime Minister’s party which holidayed at Lakshadweep consisted of Rajiv Gandhi, his wife Sonia and their two children, Rahul and Priyanka, Ajitabh Bachchan’s three daughters,… Amitabh Bachchan, his wife Jaya, their children, Sweta and Abhishek,… Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s mother, Mrs P Maino, her sister, Nadia Valdimero, and her child, G Valdimero, Sonia’s brother-in-law, Walter Winci…, a German friend of Sonia’s called Sabina…”<doc-sep>
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stoked a fresh controversy by pulling out an old India Today article citing how late PM Rajiv Gandhi used the INS Viraat, a naval warship, to go on a holiday. Wajahat Habibullah, who was the then administrator of Lakshadweep, has now told India Today TV that INS Viraat was indeed stationed in Lakshadweep but the Gandhis were not holidaying aboard the ship. A retired IAS officer, Habibullah remembered how Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi landed in Lakshadweep in a government chopper. He said, "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." THE ORIGINAL INDIA TODAY REPORT ON RAJIV GANDHI'S VACATION He added, "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." Habibullah then went on to slam PM Narendra Modi for raking up the issue, which he said is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. "It is a violation of the MCC if you go about making unverified statements. I would like my colleagues in the Election Commission to take note of this," he added. Photographs of Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and others during the Lakshadweep holiday. (Sourced from Wajahat Habibullah) The India Today report that PM Modi shared on social media to attack the Gandhi family states Rajiv Gandhi and his family were accompanied by Amitabh Bachchan and his family as well. Apart from the Gandhis and the Bachchans, the report states, "The only other Indian guests were the wife and daughter of Bijendra Singh, brother of former Union minister Arun Singh. Two other foreigners completed the party." The report further states: "Questionable actions were, however, in evidence. India's premier warship, INS Viraat, was used to transport the Gandhis and moved in the Arabian Sea for 10 days. Its daily expenditure at sea is astronomical as the Viraat travels 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." This has now triggered a major war of words between the BJP and Congress with PM Modi, Union minister Arun Jaitley and several other leaders taking potshots at the Gandhis for using the INS Viraat for private vacations.