As the back-and-forth on allegations against Rajiv Gandhi continues, Congress social media chief Divya Spandana on Thursday tweeted an image of actor Akshay Kumar on-board a warship in response to PM Modi’s claim that Rajiv Gandhi used INS Viraat during a vacation with family and friends.
Tagging both Akshay Kumar and PM Modi, she questioned if it was right for the Prime Minister to take the actor — a Canadian citizen — with him on board the presidential yacht INS Sumitra.
Yeh teek tha? @narendramodi you took a Canadian citizen @akshaykumar with you on-board INS Sumitra. #SabseBadaJhootaModi
Here’s the link to the article, most of us have not forgotten this controversy : https://t.co/jrPNUvk2Py pic.twitter.com/SWkl78rA4F— Divya Spandana/Ramya (@divyaspandana) May 9, 2019
Recently, Akshay held a “candid and completely non-political” conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, which he termed as a “breather” during the election period.
The chat paved the way to a war of words between the BJP and the opposition.
Akshay Kumar who holds a Canadian passport has been criticised by many for not exercising his constitutional right in the elections.
Spandana’s reaction comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that Rajiv Gandhi used INS Viraat as a “personal taxi” when he was the PM.
Addressing his first poll rally in Delhi ahead of the May 12 elections, PM Modi said, “Who has been treating the forces as personal property? …have you ever heard that a family goes for holiday on a warship? This has happened in our country. The ‘naamdar’ family used INS Viraat as its personal property. They insulted it.”
INS Viraat was withdrawn from its place of deployment and sent to fetch the in-laws of Rajiv Gandhi before it was taken to an island where there was nobody to welcome them and all arrangements for them were made by the personnel of the aircraft carrier, PM Modi alleged.
The holiday continued not for one day, but for 10 days during which the warship remained stationed there, he added.
However, the claims were on Thursday junked by former Navy chief Admiral (Retd) L Ramdas, as well as a former commanding officer of the aircraft carrier.
Vice Admiral (Retd) Vinod Pasricha, who was commanding the ship during the then prime minister’s visit, said all protocols were followed during Rajiv Gandhi’s official trip in 1987, adding ‘no foreigners or other guests were present’.
Former Navy Chief Ramdas, who was the Southern Navy Commander, in a statement said, no foreigners visited INS Viraat and that Rajiv Gandhi and his wife were on board the aircraft carrier following all official protocol.