Senior Congressman Mani Shankar Aiyar has backed former colleague Natwar Singh’s revelation that Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Minister had been “kept in the dark” about “Operation Brasstacks" by then minister of state for defence Arun Singh and Army chief General Sunderji.
In an interview to Headlines Today, Aiyar also accepted the contention made in Singh’s autobiography that Rahul Gandhi prevented his mother from accepting the prime ministership in 2004, as he was scared that she would be killed.
A statement issued by Headlines Today quotes Aiyar as saying “this is only part of the truth and not the full truth”. “There are bound to be other elements and aspects that would have also influenced Sonia Gandhi’s decision”, he said.
About Operation Brasstacks, Aiyar said he had subsequently advised Gandhi to invite General Zia ul Haq for lunch at Delhi. Aiyar also confirmed Singh’s account that following Rajiv’s death, Sonia Gandhi had favoured the candidature of then vice president Shankar Dayal Sharma to the post of Congress president.