Author:
Publication: The Pioneer (web edition)
Date: March 17, 2001
In his first print interview, former
Defence Minister George Fernandes speaks to Rajeev Deshpande & Wilson
John
The two police gypsies and a handful
of cops outside George Fernandes' house are no hindrance to visitors. The
trademark "gateless" Krishna Menon Marg residence remains as porous as
ever with a group of Samata Party supporters squatting on the lawns with
gumchhas around their necks.
The former Defence Minister mingles
easily with the assembly. An old man tells of an election that Fernandes
had fought in the dusty central Bihar. "You used to put your hand on my
shoulder and say that the fight has just begun," the man tells Fernandes.
"You could say the same now," the bespectacled leader remarks wryly.
Settled a little later in his living
room, Fernandes harks back to his career as a trade union leader to answer
questions about what he would do now that he is unplugged. "I have led
a hard life. There is no question of not fighting back," he says.
Was there more to the tehelka.com
episode other than journalistic enterprise? "The people who lost their
access to Defence Ministry, the entire arms bazaar and middlemen are responsible.
Decisions were taken to ban these people from purchase procedures. They
have been at work during the eight months that tapes were made," remarks
Fernandes.
He says that the "Empire has struck
back". "The Establishment has taken its revenge". Which are these forces?
"This is something on which I am yet to focus my attention. But I know
the empire which I am referring to is a powerful establishment and arms
dealers are a part of it. This Empire is a global empire. During my visit
to London, various people from the arms lobby tried to corner me. Even
at a function organised by the Gandhi Foundation, some of them tried to
talk to me about arms deals. In France, similar things had happened.
"They had their reason. No way you
could manipulate in matters of price; in terms of items to be purchased
or substitute the indigenous attempt with imported equipment. There were
middlemen, people very powerful in the political establishment who have
a stake in the arms deals...a lot of fish found there was no water.
"They were desperate. One possibility
could be my decision to send the records of previous purchases to the Central
Vigilance Commission for inquiry.
"This is only one facet of the whole
thing. The other is the way the media has been used in the whole exercise
- both print and electronic. If it was genuine investigative journalism,
they could have come to me with the tapes and said here's the evidence
before us, what do you have to say. If they thought I was the sort of guy
who could invite arms dealers to my house and discuss deals, they should
have told the Prime Minister," Fernandes says.
"I became aware of the lobby against
me when in an interview I was asked whether China was India's enemy Number
One. It was a leading question. I said No. I said we were strengthening
our relationship with China and threat is a matter of perception. China,
I said, can be potential threat number one. That was projected as my saying
China as India's enemy Number One. It was not an innocent action. There
was a purpose - to rattle the Government, particularly the Prime Minister.
The basic purpose was to put me in a situation where my judgement on matters
of security was found to be wanting. The attack was mounted on me from
this point.
"The government's performance in
all spheres of administration was positive, especially in diplomatic relations
with neighbouring countries and matters of security. There could be a growing
fear among the lobbies working against us that if you do not get them out
now, it would be difficult to do so later."
Mr Fernandes hit out at reports
that the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov was defective and he
had still persisted. "This was mooted prior to 1995 when the then Navy
chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat supported the proposal. India is a maritime
nation and we need two aircraft carriers," he said.
Fernandes is no stranger to controversy
and has often relished rolling up his sleeves in anticipation of a good
fight. But, the latest storm to break over his head is possibly the toughest
challenge in his 52-year-long political career. He does his bit clear up
matters. "I don't see my resignation in terms of a political price. I resigned
due to my concern for national security," he says.
A couple of party MPs, including
Raghunath Jha who only recently gave the Samata leader sleepless nights,
listen as Fernandes explains why he hopes corruption charges will not stick.
"I have not acquired wealth. I have no physical assets. I do not own any
house. I have been told to accept a security cover, I have put my life
at stake. That is my life," he says.
