Rajiv Gandhi too did it, to Russia

New Delhi: The Congress, which launched a blistering attack and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his sudden, unscheduled visit to Pakistan on Friday, seemed to be suffering from selective amnesia.

 

In 1985, Rajiv Gandhi did almost the same thing, when he embarked on a one-day surprise visit to Moscow to discuss a Kremlin arms control proposal with then Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. The official Soviet news agency Tass had then reported that “Gandhi and his wife Sonia were seen off at Moscow airport by (then) Premier Nikolai I. Ryzkhov, who welcomed the Indian leader...” It further added “Gandhi made the previously unannounced flight to Mosow from the Netherlands”, and said “Gandhi said the trip had been in the offing for some time...”

 

Congress leaders glossed over this. “This ‘adventure’ of the Prime Minister will have a serious impact on national security; there were no changes in the relationship by the NSA talks, or the Heart of Asia conference.