PM has not sought resignation of George

New Delhi, December 12, 2001.
Even as the Opposition resolved to stall the proceedings of Parliament till Union Defence Minister George Fernandes is “dismissed”, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee appears confident that the storm created by the CAG report will “blow over soon.”

“The Prime Minister has not sought the resignation of Mr Fernandes,” authoritative sources said. They contend that the Opposition is expectedly trying to seek political mileage out of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) with an eye on the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttaranchal.

However, those responsible for any acts of omission or commission in the Kargil martyrs coffins deal will be brought to book, the sources asserted. They were cautiously optimistic that Parliament would resume its normal business from next week which is belied by the belligerent mood in the Opposition camp.

For all outward appearances, the Vajpayee government is trying to put up a brave front that Mr Fernandes cannot be held accountable for the findings of the CAG report. There is no doubt that the Prime Minister has come under sustained attack for reinducting Mr Fernandes in the government especially when the Venkataswamy commission of inquiry into the Tehelka expose is yet to complete its work and submit report.

It was the BJP-led NDA government which had sought a critical examination of the purchases made for the armed forces during Pakistan’s misadventure in the Kargil region of Jammu and Kashmir in 1999. The CAG report has unleashed a fresh controversy by providing the necessary lever to the Opposition to launch a frontal attack against the Vajpayee government.

There is discernible consternation in certain sections of the NDA that the emotive issue of Kargil martyrs can have an adverse impact for the ruling coalition in the Assembly elections barely 10 weeks away.

This assumes importance as the Vajpayee government is sought to be characterised as “Kafan chor (coffin thief).” They feel Mr Fernandes should bide his time outside the government till the CAG coffins issue is settled and the report of the Venkataswamy commission submitted to the government.

The combined Opposition, on the other hand maintains that it is acutely aware of the conduct rules of Parliament and acknowledges the supremacy of Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi.

The Congress, Left and other Opposition parties and groups have made their position clear to the Presiding Officer that “if action is initiated against them in the form of suspension for blocking the proceedings of the House, so be it. The CAG report corroborates the Tehelka expose of alleged kickback in defence deals,” the Opposition leaders said.

A Congress leader asked. “Why is Mr Fernandes not resigning”? “Propriety demands that the Union Defence minister quits the government. Our fight is against corruption in high places and we want nothing short of the dismissal of Mr Fernandes as the CAG has clearly indicted him,” he added.