BJP cites book on Bofors to demand Sonia, Rahul's resignations as MPs

The BJP on Tuesday cited a book by a journalist, who is credited with exposing the alleged Bofors scam, to attack Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, and demanded they quit as MPs till they make a full disclosure about their relations with alleged Italian middleman Ottavio Quattrocchi.

 

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed the "huge revelations" made by Chitra Subramaniam in her book 'Bofors Gate' are worrisome, and alleged that Quattrocchi used his proximity to the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and his wife Sonia Gandhi to pull strings in finalising defence deals.

 

There was no immediate reaction from the Congress to the BJP's allegations and the demands made at the press conference.

 

It has long been alleged that Quattrocchi, who is no more, enjoyed warm ties with Sonia Gandhi, who is also of Italian origin, and used it to his business advantage in India.

 

He was one of the accused in the CBI's long-winded probe into the alleged bribery in the Bofors gun deal after the kickoff was first reported by the Swedish state radio in 1987. Subramaniam subsequently did a number of stories on the unfolding development.