On
11th day of December 2001, an English daily carried a Comptroller
and Auditor General (CAG) report on financial impropriety in purchase
of coffins for the jawans who laid down their lives in mid-1999 during
the Kargil conflict with Pakistan. The report shocked the nation and
people from all walks of life demanded an explanation from the Government
for such a sordid state of affairs that it did not even show respect
in death of those who had sacrificed their lives for the country.
The Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi demanded the resignation
of the Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes in the wake of the CAG
report on murky dealings in Army procurement, including caskets for
Kargil martyrs. The opposition parties hauled the BJP-led coalition
Government and charged it with financial impropriety in the 'Kargil
coffin scam'.
George Fernandes and his Defence Ministry are already under the cloud
of suspicion due to Tehelka episode. Now this CAG report strongly
suggests that emergency purchases made for the Kargil operation were
marked by grave financial improprieties. The list of lapses and irregularities
in the procurements for Operation Vijay is a long one. It is reported
that most of the ordered equipment (of arms, ammunition and clothing),
which totaled over Rs. 2,000 crores, arrived after the conflict. Almost
one-third of the signed contracts were marked by financial impropriety.
Some of the procured items, for instance rounds for T-72 tanks were
totally irrelevant to the Kargil conflict since these tanks could
not have been deployed at such altitudes. It is quite clear from the
CAG report that the Kargil operation was made use of as a convenient
smokescreen by this "Swadeshi" government for striking questionable
defence deals.
One of the emotionally attacking issues relates to Kargil coffin
scam. This is with regard to a contract for aluminium caskets placed
with a U.S. firm at a possibly inflated rate. Why should the government
go to a US company for coffins? Can't we make it within the country?
Do we lack a technology to make a coffin after 50 years of Independence?
If this government depends on US for coffins, what kind of swadeshi
economics this government was professing all these days? The BJP is
floating on a mixture of misplaced nationalism and falsified patriotism.
This coffin controversy brought out the real colour of BJP and its
government at the Centre. This is going to haunt BJP for more time
to come.
As "The Hindu" editorial pointed out, war situations do require extraordinary
measures and the Defence Ministry cannot be faulted for resorting
to emergency purchases. Wars also do not have set time-frames. It
could always happen that some of the equipment procured would be delivered
after the war was over. But the eyebrows were raised over the decision
to place orders worth about Rs. 700 crores, about one-third of the
total procurement, with untested first-time vendors. This could have
delayed the supply of the equipment, which could have been averted
in the first place if we had gone with the established suppliers.
Also, the Defense ministry should explain why material apparently
unconnected to the Kargil war ordered by short-circuiting normal procedures.
It is also reported that contracts for certain items were overvalued.
In the much-talked about coffin scam, it is reported that aluminium
caskets that are available for US $172 in Somalia (it is debated now
and a section of experts say that this is not true) were bought for
more than 20 times of this value. However, our HAL could have made
them within few thousands of rupees, which is far low compared to
the price paid for the coffins from the US firm. Also, why should
we pay 90% of the contract value along with the order? The coffin
scam is relatively small (Rs. 6.5 crores) compared to other irregularities
identified in the CAG report. As many as 35 of the 123 Kargil-related
defense contracts were marked by financial impropriety. If this is
the case with purchase of defense related items, how can we be confident
that our defense secrets would not be sold to our detractors by these
traitors. It is not only the financial irregularity that has shocked
the nation but also the sensitive portfolio where it has happened
is the major cause of worry.
It is also suspected that the united Opposition stalled the proceedings
of the Parliament taking objection to "Kargil coffin scam" in order
to prevent the government from introducing the controversial Prevention
of Terrorism Bill, 2001 in the Lok Sabha. Whatever be the motive of
the Opposition parties, the people of this country are angry and this
scam is totally unacceptable to any patriotic citizen. The whole nation
united together to help the bereaved families of our soldiers who
died in Kargil war. The BJP government at the Centre is now answerable
to the very same emotional unity. They can choose to ignore the Opposition
parties and attach ulterior motives to their actions. But Mr Vajapyee
should realize that his image and his government's image in the eyes
of people have taken a severe beating. The Prime Minster erred by
re-inducting George Fernandes before the Venkataswamy Commission completed
its inquiry into the Tehelka matter in the first place, because of
which he was kept out of cabinet for few months. CAG report can not
be ignored as it is prepared by a constitutional functionary. Mr.
Atal Behari Vajpayee should not yield to the expediency of politics
and should uphold the principle of probity in public life by chucking
George Fernandes out of his cabinet once for all.
Without wasting any time, the Prime Minister should not only drop
George Fernandes from his cabinet but also punish all those bureaucrats
who were party to this sordid affair. The CBI should handle this case
and based on its report, if the prima face evidence was obtained on
this scam, George Fernandes and his ministerial colleagues should
be prosecuted and put behind the bars. The Union Government should
place all the facts before the country and come clean on it soon.
Any delay would be counter-productive to its political agenda. Anything
less than this would only yield the wrath of people. On its part,
the Opposition parties should accept the words of the External Affairs
Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh who on the other day said that the Government
was not shying away from any discussion on the reported scam. It would
be better if the Opposition discusses this scam in the Parliament
and enable the nation to get to the bottom of this issue. It can even
demand a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate this scam.
It is important that we counter these betrayers and anti-nationals
first before we counter the terrorists. Yes, POTO can wait for few
more days. Let us identify the terrorists within the ministries. These
are the real and strong threats as they enjoy power also unlike the
other terrorists who have to counter the government machinery. Let
us purge these miscreants from the corridors of power and tighten
the law even to eliminate them from mainstream life.
Picture courtesy:Indiatimes.com
