New Delhi: Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Friday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his allegation against former PM Rajiv Gandhi, claiming that he ‘used INS Viraat as his personal taxi for a ten day holiday in Lakshadweep in December 1987’.

This comes after top retired naval officers, Vice Admiral Vinod Paricha (retd.) and then captain of INS Viraat, and Navy ex-Chief Admiral L Ramdas (retd), then  Chief of Kochi-based Southern Naval Command, said Gandhi was on board the carrier for two-three days on official duty as PM; refuting PM Modi’s allegations.

“No foreign nationals like Sonia Gandhi’s mother or friends of Gandhis like Amitabh Bachchan embarked on INS Viraat, as was alleged”, one of the officers said.

Taking on PM, Chidambaram said “Another lie of Mr Narendra Modi blown away. Top officers of Navy have testified that Mr Rajiv Gandhi was on an official visit to INS VIRAAT”.

“I am curious: who feeds these lies to the Prime Minister? Why does the PM repeat the lies without verifying the facts? If PM did not find evidence of cross-border actions under the UPA government that means information is being held back from him. Why doesn't he speak to the General who said "this is not the first time and this will not be the last"? The senior Congress leader added.

Commenting on the same Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s husband, Robert Vadra said “Politics at an all time low ... Desperate measures are visible . Hitting out at an as assassinated Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi, to mislead the people of India. A person who cannot defend himself ... We the family will strive for his vision n the people of India will
Fight for his dignity n respect.  It’s only time, for a respectful change in our country”.