Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha (Retd) on May 9 vehemently denied Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims that the aircraft carrier INS Viraat was used as a “personal taxi” by Rajiv Gandhi, when the latter was the prime minister.
When journalist Herman Gomes from Times Now asked Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha (Retd) whether Modi’s claims were true, he said, “Totally wrong. Totally wrong.”
Pasricha added, “They (Gandhi family) did come onboard… and they did stay on board, he’d (Rajiv Gandhi) come on an official visit… And there were no visitors. All that has been spread is totally incorrect. This is something which is always done and… I think they (BJP) are making too much of it.”
LISTEN IN: While Speaking to TIMES NOW's @Herman_Gomes Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha said Prime Minister's statement was incorrect. | #ModiINSViraatAttack pic.twitter.com/1MsCmqu5qc
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) May 9, 2019
Vice Admiral Pasricha (Retd) was the commanding officer of INS Viraat at the time.
PTI reported that PM Modi on Wednesday, 8 May, addressing his first poll rally in Delhi claimed that the Gandhi family used aircraft carrier INS Viraat as its “personal taxi” for a holiday, when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister.
“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,” he had said.
INS Viraat was commissioned into the Navy in 1987. After nearly 30 years of service, it was decommissioned in 2016.
(With PTI Inputs)