NEW DELHI: Top retired naval officers on Thursday strongly refuted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that Rajiv Gandhi , his family and friends had used aircraft carrier INS Viraat as a “personal taxi” for a 10-day holiday in Lakshadweep in December 1987.

Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha (retd), the then captain of INS Viraat, and former Navy chief Admiral L Ramdas (retd), the then the Kochi-based Southern Naval Command (SNC) chief, said Rajiv Gandhi was on board the aircraft carrier for two-three days on official duty as the PM.

Moreover, no foreign nationals like Sonia Gandhi’s mother or friends of the Gandhis like film star Amitabh Bachchan ever embarked on INS Viraat, as is being alleged, added the officers.

Vice Admiral Pasricha, however, said he had “no idea” about the vacation of Rajiv Gandhi, his family, in-laws and friends at Bangaram atoll in the Lakshwadeep archipelago, which had generated some controversy at that time for the alleged misuse of official machinery. “The vacation may have happened separately … I don’t know,” he told TOI.

“But the remarks (of PM Modi at an election rally on Wednesday) about INS Viraat being used as a personal taxi are totally wrong. Rajiv, accompanied by his wife Sonia, son Rahul and two IAS officials, did stay on board INS Viraat for two-three days. But he was on an official tour to Lakshadweep to chair a meeting of the Islands Development Authority,” said Vice Admiral Pasricha, talking to TOI.

“Rajiv, Sonia and the officials, used a helicopter to visit five-six islands to meet people and hold meetings. They would return to spend the night on INS Viraat. At no point were there any foreign nationals or visitors to the carrier. All that has been said (by PM Modi) is totally incorrect,” he added.

Admiral Ramdas, who also was then on board INS Viraat, in turn, issued a statement to rebut PM Modi’s claims after talking to Vice Admiral Pasricha as well Admiral Arun Prakash (retd) and Vice Admiral Madanjit Singh (retd), who were commanding warships accompanying the aircraft carrier for a fleet exercise at that time.

Rajiv and Sonia had used a helicopter to embark on board INS Viraat from Thiruvananthapuram (then Trivandrum) on way to Agatti in Lakshwadeep. “There were no foreigners with them. As the flag officer commanding-in-chief of the SNC, 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,” said Admiral Ramdas.

“From what I know only Rajiv and Sonia went ashore by helicopter (for the meetings in Lakshwadeep), and Rahul never accompanied them. During Rajiv’s visit to Bangaram on the last day, a few naval divers were sent ashore for the PM’s safety,” he said.

Disputing claims that warships were diverted “for personal use of the Gandhi family”, Admiral Ramdas said the western fleet had planned its naval exercises with INS Viraat much earlier under the yearly exercise programme to be held in the Arabian Sea.

With Rajiv on board INS Viraat, the customary “bada khana” was organized for the officers and men to interact with the PM. “Only one small helicopter was left at Kavratti to meet any emergency medical requirements of the PM and his wife,” he said.

PM Modi, incidentally, has himself embarked on aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (INS Viraat was decommissioned in March 2017) in June 2014 and December 2015. Modi’s predecessors like Manmohan Singh and A B Vajpayee, too, have spent time on board warships as part of the naval tradition to host the “PM’s Day at Sea”.

