8/12/2019 Rajiv Gandhi Sent Troops to Sri Lanka Without Consulting Cabinet, Natwar Singh Says

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Rajiv Gandhi sent troops to Sri Lanka without

consulting Cabinet, Natwar Singh says

 Natwar Singh.

TNN | ul !", #$"%

N&' (&L)*+ &stranged Gandhi a-ily loyalist Natwar Singh in an interview to .aranThapar on )eadlines Today clai-ed or-er /ri-e 0inister Rajiv Gandhi sent troopsto Sri Lanka without consulting his Cabinet1 The Sri Lankan ethnic issue was-ishandled which resulted in the the assassination o Rajiv Gandhi, he added1

*n the interview, Natwar also clai-ed it was Rahul Gandhi2s ulti-atu- to 3doanything3 that prevented Sonia ro- taking up the post o pri-e -inister in #$$%,contradicting the Congress chie2s #$$% clai- that she was ollowing her 3inner voice3in renouncing the high oice1

3Rahul was totally against her -other beco-ing /01 )e said she would be killed likehis ather and grand-other and as a son he would not allow her to beco-e the /01 )e was very ada-ant and was prepared to take any step to prevent his -other ro- being/0,3 Singh said, adding that being a doting -other Sonia heeded his son2s pressure1

)e said a -eeting was held on 0ay "4, #$$% where 0an-ohan Singh, Gandhi a-ily

riend Su-an (ubey, /riyanka and he were present, and /riyanka conveyed Rahul2s#%5hour deadline, leading to Sonia withdraw her na-e and no-inate 0an-ohanSingh or pri-e -inistership1

8/12/2019 Rajiv Gandhi Sent Troops to Sri Lanka Without Consulting Cabinet, Natwar Singh Says

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*/.6 soldiers during their pullout ro- Sri Lanka1 7Getty *-ages photo81

The revelation ahead o the launch o Natwar2s -uch5awaited -e-oirs, contradictsSonia2s 3inner voice3 clai- that Congress-en have held up as sign o ulti-ate politicalsacriice since the 9/: ca-e to power trouncing the ;/5led N(:1

R&:( :LS<+ Natwar Singh2s book to spill Congress secrets= 

Given the e-barrass-ent that the revelation could -ake, Sonia and /riyanka -et hi-on 0ay > and urged hi- to keep it out o his book1 Singh underlined the i-portance othe revelation by stressing that it was or the irst ti-e since his e?it ro- Congressover 2oil5or5ood2 sca- that the Gandhi a-ily -e-bers had -et hi-1

The re-arks upset the Congress1 Congress spokes-an :jay 0aken said, 3*t has beco-e ashionable to sensationali@e the contents o a book with the sole ai- oensuring better sales and ree publicity13 :bhishek Singhvi said Singh had anuncere-onious e?it ro- the 9/: govern-ent ater the #$$A Bolcker Co--itteeReport and his co--ents were politically -otivated1

*n another e-barrassing revelation, Singh said Sonia had access to the govern-entiles and /ulok Chatterjee, *:S oicer in /0<, used to take the- to her1

This is second such clai- ater or-er -edia advisor to 0an-ohan Singh Sanjaya;aru2s book created a urore by stating that Chatterjee used to take iles to Sonia, and

8/12/2019 Rajiv Gandhi Sent Troops to Sri Lanka Without Consulting Cabinet, Natwar Singh Says

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contradicts Congress2s oicial narrative that party chie never interered with theunctioning o the 0an-ohan Singh govern-ent1

6or-er /ri-e 0inister Rajiv Gandhi1 7Getty *-ages photo8

 :ccording to Singh, there was no uestion o protest over this practice since Sonia wasthe 3ore-ost3 leader1

The or-er -inister said his clai-s cannot be dis-issed as outpouring o a -ansacked ro- Congress1 )e said the very act that Sonia and /riyanka -et hi- barelytwo -onths beore the book launch prove that they are correct1

3They did not co-e to have coee with -e1 They did not co-e to have lunch with -e,3he said1

8/12/2019 Rajiv Gandhi Sent Troops to Sri Lanka Without Consulting Cabinet, Natwar Singh Says

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The5then 9S secretary o state Condolee@@a Rice, Sonia Gandhi and Natwar Singh inNew (elhi on 0arch "D, #$$A1 7:6/ ile photo8

 :ccording to Singh, he was alsely i-plicated by the RS /athak inuiry on Bolckerreport and added that there was evidence linking Congress to the -urky oil deals but

those docu-ents were suppressed1 )e said Sonia and /0 0an-ohan Singh pressured/athak panel to indict hi-1

Talking about the Congress ater Rajiv Gandhi2s assassination, Singh said Sonia haduneasy relations with /0 /B Narasi-ha Rao because o her suspicion that the trial inRajiv -urder was being delayed1 )e said Rao had urged hi- to help clear the air, evenadding that he could take on Sonia but did not want to1

 : -eeting was held at the residence o old Gandhi a-ily conidant 0oha--ed Eunusin which the issues were discussed but Sonia had re-ained unconvinced1

Natwar, one o the -ost trusted conidants o Sonia beore the alling out, alsohighlighted the 0echiavellian side to Sonia2s personality saying that her control overparty bigger than the irst /ri-e 0inister had enjoyed, and that she was deter-ined tohave her way in all situations1

*n one instance, Sonia orced the veteran and or-er president o Fa-bia .enneth.aunda to shit ro- late Lalit Suri2s hotel to another one despite protests ro- the

8/12/2019 Rajiv Gandhi Sent Troops to Sri Lanka Without Consulting Cabinet, Natwar Singh Says

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 veteran :rican leader1

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