New Delhi : President Pranab Mukherjee has said that the Bofors scam that plagued the Rajiv Gandhi government in the 1980s has not been established by any Indian court.
In an exclusive interview with Peter Wolodarski, Editor-in-Chief of Dagens Nyhetter, days before his visit to Sweden, the President opened up on what has been a major issue of contention between the two nations.
“I was the defence minister of the country long after Bofors, and all my generals certified that this is one of the best guns we have. Till today, the Indian Army is using it,” he was quoted as saying in the interview.
“The so-called scandal which you talk of, yes, in the media, it was there… There was a media trial. But I’m afraid, let us not be too much carried (away) by publicity,” he was quoted as saying.
Asked if it was a media scandal, the President was reported to have said: “I do not know. I’m not describing it, you’re putting that word. Don’t put that word. What I am saying is that in media it was publicised. But up to now, no Indian court has given any decisive verdict about the alleged scandal.”
