Growing evidence of Rajiv Gandhi's role in Anderson's exit:BJP

New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) Claiming that there was "growing
evidence" of the role of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv
Gandhi in the exit of Warren Anderson, the Bharatiya Janata
Party on Friday said this was clear from the recent statement
of a retired senior diplomat.

At a party briefing, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman
referred to the statement of the then foreign secretary M K
Rasgotra Thursday that Gandhi was told about granting Anderson
a safe passage, to which he did not object.
"After Rasgotra has chosen to speak in graphic detail on
the issue, the Congress cannot any more browbeat or beat
around the bush (on Anderson leaving the country)," she said.
"Rasgotra says in an interview (to a news channel) that
arresting Anderson was a mistake and it was a breach of
promise... This shows there was an agreement (between US and
Indian government on letting Anderson leave)," she said.
The BJP leader said, "Rasgotra says Rajiv Gandhi was out
of Delhi. But once he returned he was 'briefed fully' and had
no objection to Anderson leaving the country."
BJP further alleged that the US Consulate at that time
was dealing with "high level Indian officials" or else
Anderson could not have gone out.
"Anderson met Rasgotra in South Block. He also met
President Giani Zail Singh and the Home Minister (P V
Narasimha Rao)," Sitharaman said.
The BJP leader also took on the Congress for calling
Rasgotra's statement "politically motivated", saying Rajiv
Gandhi had appointed the former foreign secretary India's High
Commissioner to UK post-retirement.
"Later, Rasgotra served in the foreign affairs cell of
Congress and was also appointed a member of National Advisory
Council by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during UPA-I,"
Sitharaman said. PTI RC
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