On April 16, 1987, Swedish Radio claimed that the AB Bofors paid bribes to top Indian politicians and defence personnel for the Howitzer guns deal. The report sparked a massive political storm in India. Though Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister repeatedly told the Lok Sabha that his government was not involved in the scam, the 1989 General Elections proved that India was not convinced. 

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Cut to September, 2018. More than three decades later, former French President Francois Hollande’s stunning Rafale claims are just like the ‘Bofors’ moment for the Narendra Modi government. 

People may like it or not but the fact of the matter is that both issues acquired momentum because news developments took place in the host country. In 1980s, it was Swedish Radio, which broke the Bofors news. In this case, 31 years later, it is an interview by Hollande defending his partner in context of a defence deal he was involved in. What is important is that the BJP and the Socialists had a cake walk against Rajiv Gandhi on this issue. Today, former PM’s son Rahul Gandhi has the advantage.

Now, the Congress is fighting a battle on an issue it thought was finished politically years back. The bottomline is that in politics, perception matters. For the first time, the Congress has an upper hand against the Modi government. 

The Congress has been continuously holding a series of press conferences on the Rafale issue, raising several questions on the deal done by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government with France to purchase the Rafale fighter jets. However, the Centre has denied all the allegations imposed by the opposition.

It is believed that corruption took place. The Bofors guns won Kargil but finished Gandhis. Will it be the same case with Modi when it comes to Rafale?