The Opposition, including BJP and the Left parties, on Wednesday accused the then Rajiv Gandhi government for 'protecting' Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi after former Swedish police chief Sten Lindstrom’s remarks about the Bofors scam.
While the Left parties accused the government of having 'no political' will to expose the guilty, the BJP has decided to raise the issue in Parliament when the working of the defence ministry comes up for discussion next week.
The Congress, however, charged the Opposition with “misleading” the country on the issue. Union law minister Salman Khurshid said the case is “closed” and there is no need to reopen it.
Mr Khurshid also sought a public apology from all those making allegations against former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for the past many years and tarnishing his image and hurting his family members.
“There was a detailed investigation and there were Supreme Court and high court proceedings that took place and the decision that came endorsed those proceedings... I don’t think we can continue to reopen these issues... We don’t want a new chapter to be opened. The final decision of the Supreme Court should not be reopened,” Mr Khurshid said.
Reacting to the former Swedish police chief’s remarks, BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “The entire government of India at that point in time was out to save Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi, including then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.”
The issue was raised by senior leader Arun Jaitley at BJP parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday. The party will also raise the Rs350 crores alleged pay-off to a middleman in the Agusta Westland helicopter deal, in Parliament.
When asked whether the then Prime Minister himself was “complicit” in saving Quattrochi, Mr Prasad said, “His government tried to save and protect Quattrocchi, and suppress the investigations. It is clear from the interview (of Lindstrom) that Rajiv Gandhi’s government made all efforts to stop the probe, delay proceedings and prevent any action against Quattrocchi.”
Reacting sharply to the Opposition’s allegations, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said, “They have no reason to raise any fingers on us. In the last 25 years, the country has been ruled by many parties including BJP and others but nothing could be found. NDA was also in power made all possible efforts to dig out something (against Rajiv Gandhi) but nothing came out.”
He said, “I want to tell all those political parties and leaders who are misleading the country by making false statements that they should seek an apology from the nation.”
Mr Alvi said even Lindstorm has 'given a clean chit' to the then Prime Minister by saying there was no proof that the late Prime Minister was bribed.