Uproar After Indian Politician Accuses Former PM Indira Gandhi of Meeting with Underworld Dons

New Delhi (Sputnik): A leader of India’s regional Shiv Sena party has stirred the hornet’s nest with a sensational claim that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was hand in glove with some of the most wanted underworld dons.

Even though Sanjay Raut, leader of western Maharashtra’s ruling Shiv Sena has already withdrawn his explosive statement against Indira Gandhi, celebrated as the first woman prime minister of India, it has triggered a row between politicians and political parties.

Raut claimed that Gandhi had links with India’s most wanted criminals like Karim Lala, Dawood Ibrahim and others.

Raut, a journalist by profession, was speaking at an award function in western Pune when he made the controversial statement.

The national opposition Indian National Congress leader Milind Deora condemned Raut’s claims and asked him to withdraw his “ill-informed” statement. Deora also said politicians must show restraint before distorting the legacies of late prime ministers.

Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Ram Kadam also lashed at Raut and wanted a case to be registered against him and said he should be arrested.

However, Former Chief of Maharashtra state Devendra Fadnavis said that Congress is answerable to the allegations and it must clarify. He also questioned why Congress needed muscle power during those days and were the elections funded by such criminals. 

As the statement led to a huge uproar, Raut came out with a clarification that Karim Lala was a leader of the Pathan community, originally from Afghanistan and it was quite natural for political leaders to meet him.

The controversy has led to hashtag #RautExposedIndiraGandhi with netizens divided over the expose. Several supported Raut’s claim and hailed him for making the revelation while others denied believing the allegations.  

Indira Gandhi, a central figure of the Indian National Congress, was shot dead by her security guards on 31 October at her official residence in New Delhi. Her first term as Prime Minister was from 1966 to 1977 and then from 1980 to 1984 until she was assassinated.

Sourse: sputniknews.com