The Gandhi-Nehru dynasty that has been ruling most of the post independence years in the biggest democracy of the world , suffered a major setback after international whistle blower WikiLeaks named late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as a middleman in a billion dollar purchase of jet aircrafts from a Swedish company named Saab-Scania.
A newspaper source has gained access to Kissinger diplomatic cable and published it. The whole episode of this scam can be traced back to 1970 when Swedish company Saab-Scania was trying to sell its Viggen fighter aircraft to India. The US cables call Rajiv Gandhi 'the main Indian negotiator' for a massive aircraft deal for which his 'family connections' were seen as valuable.
An October 1975 cable from the New Delhi US Embassy details information given to it by a diplomat in the Swedish Embassy. It says, "Mrs Gandhi's older son's only association with the aircraft industry has been as a pilot for Indian Airlines and this is the first time we have heard his name as entrepreneur."
It is worth mentioning that the late Prime Minister was linked several defense deal including the Bofors scam which led to his defeat in 1989 elections. Meanwhile the Congress has reacted to the story saying, "The credibility of WikiLeaks is questionable and any case the author is planning a political party. We don't give importance to the allegations and the cables".
AW-Jyotishman
