New Delhi: Brushing aside fresh allegations in connection with the Bofors deal, Law Minister Salman Khurshid on Wednesday said that the case is closed and there is no need to reopen it.
The Law Minister also sought a public apology from all those making wild allegations against former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for the past many years and tarnishing his image and hurting his family members.
"There was a detailed investigation and there were Supreme Court and High Court proceedings that took place and the decision that came endorsed those proceedings. I don`t think we can continue to reopen these issues... We don`t want a new chapter to be opened. The final decision of the Supreme Court should not be reopened," Khurshid told reporters here.
He said, "I don`t want to start another proceeding beyond the proceedings of the Supreme Court of our country. The decision of the Supreme Court is final and the matter has been closed. I don`t think we should continue for the rest of the life of the present generation of politicians to reopen this every few months."
Khurshid also took a dig at the opposition, especially the BJP, for making "wild allegations" against the former Prime Minister and sought a public apology from them.
"It is a matter of regret that without having any proof, such serious charges were leveled (against Rajiv Gandhi). The same people are not ready to feel sorry even today. They should apologise before the public," he said.
On BJP`s demand for a fresh probe on the allegations that have come up in the case now, Khurshid said, "We should start discussion, I don`t think it is proper. The BJP should read the judgment of the Supreme Court and High Court.
"I do not want to get into their trap of beginning a conversation, a dialogue, a debate and an argument about an issue that is considered to be rightly closed and buried." He said this is an issue that has "traumatised our nation" and has "hurt loyal Congress people, besides hurting the family of late Rajiv Gandhi."
Expressing satisfaction that something good about Rajiv Gandhi has come out now, the Law Minister questioned as to who will compensate for the level of pain and agony caused in view of the allegations that were made against him.
"I think it is best now to close this issue. Institutionally, it has been closed in this country. I think our country has a lot of other things to do, not just keep reopening old wounds. I feel, somewhere when the Supreme Court has decided something, it is not proper to reopen the case on the streets when the SC decision has come," he said.
Khurshid was responding to questions on an interview given by former Swedish police chief Sten Lindstrom, who said that he was the person who leaked over 350 documents relating to the case to an Indian journalist and claimed that he was the journalist`s secret informant who operated under the pseudonym of `Swedish Deep Throat`.
PTI
