Rajiv Gandhi used INS Viraat as 'personal taxi' during tenure as PM, says Narendra Modi at Delhi rally

At the BJP rally held at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Gandhi family of using INS Viraat as a “personal taxi” for 10 days when his family and his in-laws took a vacation. Accusing the Gandhi family of compromising with national security, Modi claimed that Indian Navy personnel were stationed at the island in service of late Rajiv Gandhi and his family. Modi was referring to the Lakshadweep vacation taken by former prime minister and his family in 1987. [caption id=“attachment_6596921” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses an election campaign rally at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi. PTI[/caption] “Even Navy personnel were put on service of Rajiv Gandhi and his family while they were vacationing at an island. INS Viraat was also stationed at the island for 10 days during that time. At the time when INS Viraat was positioned for protection of maritime boundaries, it was sent to take Rajiv Gandhi and his family to an island for their holiday. Even his in-laws were onboard INS Viraat. Is it not a compromise of national security? They put nation first and security of Indian citizens second,” he said at the rally. “Has anyone heard that anyone goes on a holiday in a warship? Don’t get astonished but this has happened. The biggest dynast family of Congress used INS Viraat as their personal taxi,” he asserted. Modi recently faced the Congress’ ire for calling Rajiv Gandhi ‘corrupt number 1’. “They want votes in the name of their ancestors but can’t stand any reference to their wrongdoings. If you ask for votes in some one’s name, you should be answerable for that person’s deeds,” he said. At the rally, Modi also lauded the Central government’s anti-terror stand, hailing the designation of Jaish-e-Mohammad founder Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. He also criticised the Aam Aadmi Party-led government in Delhi, calling it ‘nakaampanthi’, and blamed it for stalling developmental works in the capital. INS Viraat was Indian Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier. It was commissioned in 1987 and served for almost 30 years. All seven parliamentary constituencies of Delhi will be going to polls on 12 May. Results will be declared on 23 May. With inputs from agencies