Rajiv Gandhi Used Warship INS Viraat For Family Holidays Says PM Modi
A day after PM Narendra Modi asserted in an election speech that previous Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had utilized aircraft carrier INS Viraat for personal vacation in 1987 alongside his family, the then big brass of the Navy on Thursday denied the remarks, expressing that the late Rajiv Gandhi was on-board the vessel on an official excursion on the way to the Lakshadweep islands. I might want to state unequivocally that this, "allegation that Mr. Gandhi was on vacation with his family was not the matter," previous Navy Chief Admiral L. Ramdas said in an announcement, with gathered reactions from other top officers of the Western Fleet around at that time. There were no outsiders with them. I, as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Southern Naval Command, situated in Cochin, likewise boarded INS Viraat. Four different ships were with INS Viraat as a major aspect of Fleet activities. As FOC-in-C, I facilitated a supper for them on board INS Viraat. He also said there were no different parties held on board INS Viraat or, so far as that is concerned, some other ship in our fleet amid that time.