BJP Targets Sonia & Rahul Gandhi Over Fresh Bofors Revelations In New Book

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a fresh offensive against Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, citing new revelations from journalist Chitra Subramaniam’s book, *Bofors Gate – A Journalist’s Pursuit of Truth*. The BJP has demanded that both leaders step down as Members of Parliament until they fully disclose their alleged links with Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed that the book exposes critical details about Quattrocchi’s role in influencing Indian defence deals through his close association with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and his wife, Sonia Gandhi. Quattrocchi, now deceased, has long been accused of leveraging his ties with the Gandhi family for business gains, particularly in the controversial Bofors gun deal.

Bhatia further alleged that during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, key defence documents were given to Quattrocchi for modification in favor of certain companies. He also accused the Congress-led UPA government of defreezing Quattrocchi’s bank accounts in 2005 at Sonia Gandhi’s behest, calling it an act of betrayal. Additionally, he claimed that the Rafale defence deal was delayed under the UPA due to financial interests linked to the Gandhi family.

The BJP leader also questioned Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s stance, challenging him to choose between supporting the nation or defending the Gandhi family.

Bofors Gate: The Book’s Key Claims

Subramaniam’s book details her decade-long investigative work on the Bofors scandal, which first came to light in 1987. It highlights a trove of Swiss documents handed over to the CBI in 1997—boxes containing over 5 million pages that remain unopened. The book criticizes successive Indian governments for failing to examine these crucial files.

Subramaniam describes these unopened documents as the "elephant in the room," questioning why even the NDA, which came to power on an anti-corruption agenda, has not scrutinized them. The book’s final line poignantly states: *"The unopened boxes with the CBI contain the self-respect of India."*

The Bofors Scandal: A Brief Background

The Bofors controversy stems from a 1986 defence deal in which India purchased 400 Howitzer guns from Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors for ₹1,437 crore. In 1987, Swedish radio reported that bribes had been paid to Indian politicians and officials to secure the contract. The scandal severely damaged the credibility of Rajiv Gandhi’s government, and while the CBI filed charges, the case was ultimately closed in 2011 without convictions.

With the BJP reviving the issue based on fresh disclosures, the controversy continues to cast a shadow over the Congress leadership.