Nishikant Dubey, a BJP MP from the Godda district, took to the social‑media platform X on Saturday to launch a new attack on the Gandhi family. He accused former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi of steering the 1977 Indian Airlines purchase of three Boeing 737 jets for a personal commission, instead of going with the European‑made Airbus, even though the Planning Commission and Finance Ministry had opposed the deal.
Dubey’s post directly questioned Rahul Gandhi, the Congress leader and opposition head in Parliament, by asking whether his father had used his influence to secure the Boeing order. “Did your father attend meetings illegally without authority? Did the opposition from the Planning Commission and the Finance Ministry not apply to your family for the sake of the commission?” the MP wrote.
The controversy goes back to the final months of India’s Emergency, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s government decided to buy the jets. The decision was later examined by the Shah Commission, set up in 1977 to probe excesses during the Emergency. The commission found that the process was rushed, bypassed standard procedures, and that Rajiv Gandhi, then a pilot with Indian Airlines, attended a key meeting in September 1976 where Boeing’s financial projections were presented. The commission said his participation was “totally outside the ordinary course of business” and raised doubts about how a pilot was privy to confidential financial discussions.
Dubey shared excerpts from the Shah Commission report, noting that the contract for Rs 30.55 crore was signed even after Boeing’s offer had technically expired. The report pointed to political pressure from the Prime Minister’s Office and highlighted that the deal “broke all standard rules and requirements” without any evidence of comparative trials or feasibility studies. Witnesses told the commission that the deal faced resistance from the Planning Commission and Finance Ministry, but was pushed forward allegedly under orders from Indira Gandhi’s office.
Earlier Friday, Dubey made a sweeping claim that Rajiv Gandhi had acted as an agent of a Swedish military company in the 1970s. He posted a document on X to support the allegation, again targeting the Gandhi family. The BJP lawmaker said, “Rahul Gandhi ji’s father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi ji, was an agent of a Swedish military company, meaning he was involved in brokerage in the 70s?”
The attack on the former prime minister came a day after the Congress party leveled accusations against Dubey’s wife, alleging that the couple had “amassed” wealth far beyond their declared income. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, speaking in a press conference, pointed to election affidavits and highlighted the steep rise in assets of Dubey’s wife—from Rs 50 lakh in 2009 to Rs 31.32 crore by 2024. She warned that the corruption issue could cost the 56‑year‑old BJP MP his seat in Parliament for the Godda constituency.
The new round of criticism underscores the still‑fierce rivalry between the BJP and Congress, and the lingering murmurings over the 1977 Boeing deal that continue to surface during political battles in New Delhi.
Source: ianslive
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