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.
1. What PM Modi said
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"Ever imagined that a premier warship of the Indian armed forces could be used as a taxi for a personal holiday? One dynasty did it," Modi asked.
The Navy was made to host the Gandhi family and Rajiv Gandhi's in-laws, and a helicopter was also deployed in their service, Modi claimed, adding that when a family becomes supreme, the country's security is at stake.
"INS Viraat was insulted by using it as a personal taxi. This happened when Rajiv Gandhi and his family was out for a 10-day vacation. INS Viraat was deployed for securing our maritime boundary. But it was diverted to take the Gandhi family which was out for a vacation," Modi said.
He also claimed that after picking up the Gandhi family, INS Viraat halted at an island for 10 days.
"Rajiv Gandhi was accompanied by his in-laws who had come from Italy. Question is whether the security of the country was not compromised by taking foreigners onboard a warship," he asked.
2. Why Bangaram island
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The year was 1987 and the Gandhis had taken a trip to Bangaram island in Lakshadweep. A scarcely populated archipelago, it was chosen because the island is the only one in where foreigners are allowed.
According to an India Today report from 1988 shared by PM Modi, the entourage included a host of celebrities including the Bachchans.
Ever imagined that a premier warship of the Indian armed forces could be used as a taxi for a personal holiday?
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 8, 2019
One Dynasty did it and that too with great swag.
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https://t.co/OcqpHsQ8xM
Pic Source: WikiMedia Commons
3. The Guest List
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The former Prime Minister’s entourage included his children Rahul and Priyanka and four of their friends. The Bachchans – Amitabh and Jaya along with their children – were also present.
Sonia Gandhi’s family members including her brother-in-law, sister and mother R Maino were present. The Bachchans presence raised heckles because at that time Amitabh’s brother Ajitabh was being investigated for violation of the Foreign Exchange Regulations Act.
Pic: The Bachchans
4. The Bill?
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The article states that it’s impossible to calculate how much money was spent on the tour. Various agencies were involved which were part of the Lakshadweep administration. The menu was supervised by Gandhis’ personal cook from New Delhi.
Wines and liquor was flown in from Delhi, while a poultry farm was set up in Agatti with 100 chickens. Sugar, fish, island fruits were sent ,as were butter, bread and chocolates, cold drinks, mineral water, cheese, cashew nuts and more items by ship.
5. INS Viraat - used for a joyride?
Meanwhile, even then the use of INS Viraat raised questions as its expenditure when at sea is astronomical. Not only does Viraat travel with a retinue of ships, it’s believed that a submarine was also in attendance, raising questions about using one of the Navy’s most important components to suit a leader’s holiday plans.
While the trip had raised serious questions about impropriety in 1987-88, little did the Gandhis know that their trip 32 years ago would become an albatross around their neck in 2019.
