04-12-2004, 10:59 PM
When India performed shakti 1 & 2, there was a document, very lucid and cogent that described to a layman why it was right to go newclear. That document helped put things in perspective.
Now I have talked to many people (and all of them are very knowledgeable individual), they are very keen to debate on Bofors but all most all lacked any knowledge of what really happened or what the issue is/are (and it was accordingly agreed by all of them).
I myself do not claim to be any knowledgeable on the subject apart from few tit bits here and there. It's imperative that we know what happened and I would appreciate if people can fill in the detail. More important, if anyone can summarize it as 'that' document on Shakti was summarized (does anyone have a copy of it).
I will give a shot at what I know.
Bofors saga --
During Rajeev Gandhi Premiership, India had plans to induct 2000 pieces of artillery. Many different guns were tested, and two out of them, Sofma and Bofors were short listed. During that time this order would have been the biggest military order in India's history (in fact the value of the deal was bigger than Pakistan's defense budget).
The technical detail of testing was kept a secret (as it is today), but it was later revealed by Sundarji (then Army Chief), under court orders that Sofma was ahead of Bofors. Though a point needs to be made that many times India has chosen weapon System that were not on the top of the list because of other reasons (like price, tech-transfer, other genuine political considerations etc etc.)
Like today, during that time, defense deal took a lot of time to get finalized (for example AJT requirement took 17 years). If the deal was as big as Bofors/Sofma, it was natural that it took time and that it was cleared by the Prime Minister himself (today also all big deal are cleared by the cabinet). Sofma/Bofors obviously wanted to win the deal, sooner the better.
Ottavio Quattrochi, an Italian businessman was heading a multinational fertilizer company in India (a fertilizer company, not a defense company). His family was close friend of Sonia Gandhi, the Italian born wife of Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi. In fact both the family had at least on 4 occasion had celebrated family holidays together.
Quattrochi, accepted an assignment from Bofors to get them the deal before a certain date, his commission in the deal is unknown, but 7.8 million dollars have been conclusively proven to go to his account (7.8 million dollars of 1986-87 value). The deal for artillery was then closed in favor of Bofors (over better ranked Sofma), 3 days before that date. The speed with which the deal was concluded can only be termed spectacular. The point to keep in mind here is that Quattrochi was neither a defense agent, nor any way connected to Bofors which is a Swedish company, i.e. apart from being close to the Gandhi family he added no value to this deal.
Apart from Quattrochi getting commission, Commission to the tune of 65 million (1985-86 dollars) were also paid. Paying commission in defense deal is a normal Industry practice, but at that time, it was a law in India not to pay commission and Bofors had also agreed not to pay commission as part of the deal. The other people that got commission were Win Chadha, allegedly Hindujas etc.
When the news of Kickback surfaced, Rajeev Gandhi initially denied any Kickback, then later denied that any of his member involvement in the kickback (once it was conclusively proven that kickbacks were paid).
Since Bofors scandal broke out, most of the time it has been a congress government or Congress supported government at the center except for the last 6 years. The congress government have done everything in their power to derail the
Search of truth. In fact, a cabinet Minister, Madhavrao Solanki had to resign as he was caught delivering a letter to the Swedish authority requesting them not to release documents that Indian court and FBI had requested for investigation.
That is the primer, now lets go to some question answer
1. Isn't Bofors a good gun. How is it wrong in buying it.
Bofors is indeed a good gun as it has proven since. Sofma might have been better. But Bofors is really good and adequate for the task. Where the deal has hurt India is, initially it was thought that we would buy 410 pieces and license manufacture another 1600. The way defense deal work is, no one wants to give you technology unless you buy from them. We bought the gun, then the scandal broke and as a result, India has only 410 guns (not 2000 as planned), no technology and had to buy 1500 dollar a shell for the gun during Kargil crisis. We are now again trying to buy a similar gun in similar amount for 2-4 billion dollars. What could have been achieved 18 years ago (and for what we paid), we are doing it today.
2. Isn't 64 million dollars too less to worry about. In India we have bigger scandals everyday.
True, we have bigger scandals (like Telgi, fodder scam), and no scandal is better or worse than other, Bofors scandal is about using influence by foreign power to do something that endangers the security of the country. Giving someone 1 lakh rupee as a bribe to get telephone connection is not a similar crime like giving someone 1 lakh to commit manslaughter. It is not the amount but the nature of the crime that makes it heinous.
3. Has not Rajeev Gandhi been cleared from Bofors.
Yes, he has been. There are two ways a person is cleared of a criminal case, either he is proven innocent or there is not enough evidence beyond reasonable doubt that proves the person guilty. In the second case a person though having committed the crime is let go because his guilt cannot be proven (as in O J Simpson case). Rajeev Gandhi acquittal falls in the second category.
4.If what said above is true and R. Gandhi has been acquitted, why there is a big deal about Bofors.
The answer to the above has to do with two facts, 1. A person holding public office is held to higher standard of public scrutiny. It is not enough for that person to get acquitted because of lack of proof; he should get acquitted because he/she was innocent. The other angle to the argument is that since the person is powerful, it is easy for him to supress evidence so that he can get acquitted because of lack of proof. Since, Madhavrao Solanki episode shows these kinds of tactics were used.
2.The second fact is that since Shri R. Gandhi is deceased there are other people connected with the deal that have not gotten Scot free. The effort should be to bring those people to justice.
5. So are you saying that Bofors investigation is political, i.e. now Sonia Gandhi has to be targeted and that why this case is on the fore front now.
Let's start with the last part- The case of Bofors has not been brought up by the current NDA government. The chief Swedish investigator chose this time (which makes sense from his point of view as it puts maximum pressure on the witness to answer his questions) to raise the Bofors issue through an Indian paper Asian Age, whose chief editor is MJ Akbar. This paper is now way even sympathetic to the current regime.
The second question is why Sonia is being targeted. The point to remember here was that the Bofors deal was signed (over much preferred Sofma), in a quick time when Quattrochi came into picture. He was paid commission for his service. Quattrochi had no locus-standi vis a vis Bofors, he was chief of a Fertilizer company, i.e. he added no other value other than persuade R. Gandhi to conclude the deal. His ability to influence Rajeev Gandhi was because he is Italian as Sonia Gandhi is and both were friends, i.e. Sonia is the chain that links Rajeev Gandhi and Quattrochi. So then the question arises, did Sonia play any part in Bofors Scandal? Did she or her family back in Italy get any part of the commission etc etc.
Till now she has not been questioned regarding Bofors. As stated earlier, a person aspiring for Public office is subjected to higher scrutiny. According to the chief Swedish Investigator, Sonia Gandhi, Quattrochi and Martin Ardbo only know the whole truth. The other two persons are out of India, out of reach of Indian investigators. Martin Ardbo has publicly vowed not to reveal the truth (the ruth will go with me to my grave) and Indian govt cannot extradite him to stand trail in India. As far as Quattrochi goes, CBI has let him slip away (under congress regime) and since he is the obvious culprit he would be the last one to cooperate. That only leaves Sonia Gandhi.
5. So it is indeed political, Sonia has already said that Bofors is being resurrected to mar the chances of her children and possibly her Grand children?
Rhetoric apart, the only thing Sonia Gandhi has to do is to tell everything to the Investigative agency under oath, what she knows about Bofors. (Mind you, she has never been questioned till now) and let the Law take its own course. Whether the issue is political or not is beside the point as also is, whether it will be used against her or not.
rgds,
fanne
Now I have talked to many people (and all of them are very knowledgeable individual), they are very keen to debate on Bofors but all most all lacked any knowledge of what really happened or what the issue is/are (and it was accordingly agreed by all of them).
I myself do not claim to be any knowledgeable on the subject apart from few tit bits here and there. It's imperative that we know what happened and I would appreciate if people can fill in the detail. More important, if anyone can summarize it as 'that' document on Shakti was summarized (does anyone have a copy of it).
I will give a shot at what I know.
Bofors saga --
During Rajeev Gandhi Premiership, India had plans to induct 2000 pieces of artillery. Many different guns were tested, and two out of them, Sofma and Bofors were short listed. During that time this order would have been the biggest military order in India's history (in fact the value of the deal was bigger than Pakistan's defense budget).
The technical detail of testing was kept a secret (as it is today), but it was later revealed by Sundarji (then Army Chief), under court orders that Sofma was ahead of Bofors. Though a point needs to be made that many times India has chosen weapon System that were not on the top of the list because of other reasons (like price, tech-transfer, other genuine political considerations etc etc.)
Like today, during that time, defense deal took a lot of time to get finalized (for example AJT requirement took 17 years). If the deal was as big as Bofors/Sofma, it was natural that it took time and that it was cleared by the Prime Minister himself (today also all big deal are cleared by the cabinet). Sofma/Bofors obviously wanted to win the deal, sooner the better.
Ottavio Quattrochi, an Italian businessman was heading a multinational fertilizer company in India (a fertilizer company, not a defense company). His family was close friend of Sonia Gandhi, the Italian born wife of Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi. In fact both the family had at least on 4 occasion had celebrated family holidays together.
Quattrochi, accepted an assignment from Bofors to get them the deal before a certain date, his commission in the deal is unknown, but 7.8 million dollars have been conclusively proven to go to his account (7.8 million dollars of 1986-87 value). The deal for artillery was then closed in favor of Bofors (over better ranked Sofma), 3 days before that date. The speed with which the deal was concluded can only be termed spectacular. The point to keep in mind here is that Quattrochi was neither a defense agent, nor any way connected to Bofors which is a Swedish company, i.e. apart from being close to the Gandhi family he added no value to this deal.
Apart from Quattrochi getting commission, Commission to the tune of 65 million (1985-86 dollars) were also paid. Paying commission in defense deal is a normal Industry practice, but at that time, it was a law in India not to pay commission and Bofors had also agreed not to pay commission as part of the deal. The other people that got commission were Win Chadha, allegedly Hindujas etc.
When the news of Kickback surfaced, Rajeev Gandhi initially denied any Kickback, then later denied that any of his member involvement in the kickback (once it was conclusively proven that kickbacks were paid).
Since Bofors scandal broke out, most of the time it has been a congress government or Congress supported government at the center except for the last 6 years. The congress government have done everything in their power to derail the
Search of truth. In fact, a cabinet Minister, Madhavrao Solanki had to resign as he was caught delivering a letter to the Swedish authority requesting them not to release documents that Indian court and FBI had requested for investigation.
That is the primer, now lets go to some question answer
1. Isn't Bofors a good gun. How is it wrong in buying it.
Bofors is indeed a good gun as it has proven since. Sofma might have been better. But Bofors is really good and adequate for the task. Where the deal has hurt India is, initially it was thought that we would buy 410 pieces and license manufacture another 1600. The way defense deal work is, no one wants to give you technology unless you buy from them. We bought the gun, then the scandal broke and as a result, India has only 410 guns (not 2000 as planned), no technology and had to buy 1500 dollar a shell for the gun during Kargil crisis. We are now again trying to buy a similar gun in similar amount for 2-4 billion dollars. What could have been achieved 18 years ago (and for what we paid), we are doing it today.
2. Isn't 64 million dollars too less to worry about. In India we have bigger scandals everyday.
True, we have bigger scandals (like Telgi, fodder scam), and no scandal is better or worse than other, Bofors scandal is about using influence by foreign power to do something that endangers the security of the country. Giving someone 1 lakh rupee as a bribe to get telephone connection is not a similar crime like giving someone 1 lakh to commit manslaughter. It is not the amount but the nature of the crime that makes it heinous.
3. Has not Rajeev Gandhi been cleared from Bofors.
Yes, he has been. There are two ways a person is cleared of a criminal case, either he is proven innocent or there is not enough evidence beyond reasonable doubt that proves the person guilty. In the second case a person though having committed the crime is let go because his guilt cannot be proven (as in O J Simpson case). Rajeev Gandhi acquittal falls in the second category.
4.If what said above is true and R. Gandhi has been acquitted, why there is a big deal about Bofors.
The answer to the above has to do with two facts, 1. A person holding public office is held to higher standard of public scrutiny. It is not enough for that person to get acquitted because of lack of proof; he should get acquitted because he/she was innocent. The other angle to the argument is that since the person is powerful, it is easy for him to supress evidence so that he can get acquitted because of lack of proof. Since, Madhavrao Solanki episode shows these kinds of tactics were used.
2.The second fact is that since Shri R. Gandhi is deceased there are other people connected with the deal that have not gotten Scot free. The effort should be to bring those people to justice.
5. So are you saying that Bofors investigation is political, i.e. now Sonia Gandhi has to be targeted and that why this case is on the fore front now.
Let's start with the last part- The case of Bofors has not been brought up by the current NDA government. The chief Swedish investigator chose this time (which makes sense from his point of view as it puts maximum pressure on the witness to answer his questions) to raise the Bofors issue through an Indian paper Asian Age, whose chief editor is MJ Akbar. This paper is now way even sympathetic to the current regime.
The second question is why Sonia is being targeted. The point to remember here was that the Bofors deal was signed (over much preferred Sofma), in a quick time when Quattrochi came into picture. He was paid commission for his service. Quattrochi had no locus-standi vis a vis Bofors, he was chief of a Fertilizer company, i.e. he added no other value other than persuade R. Gandhi to conclude the deal. His ability to influence Rajeev Gandhi was because he is Italian as Sonia Gandhi is and both were friends, i.e. Sonia is the chain that links Rajeev Gandhi and Quattrochi. So then the question arises, did Sonia play any part in Bofors Scandal? Did she or her family back in Italy get any part of the commission etc etc.
Till now she has not been questioned regarding Bofors. As stated earlier, a person aspiring for Public office is subjected to higher scrutiny. According to the chief Swedish Investigator, Sonia Gandhi, Quattrochi and Martin Ardbo only know the whole truth. The other two persons are out of India, out of reach of Indian investigators. Martin Ardbo has publicly vowed not to reveal the truth (the ruth will go with me to my grave) and Indian govt cannot extradite him to stand trail in India. As far as Quattrochi goes, CBI has let him slip away (under congress regime) and since he is the obvious culprit he would be the last one to cooperate. That only leaves Sonia Gandhi.
5. So it is indeed political, Sonia has already said that Bofors is being resurrected to mar the chances of her children and possibly her Grand children?
Rhetoric apart, the only thing Sonia Gandhi has to do is to tell everything to the Investigative agency under oath, what she knows about Bofors. (Mind you, she has never been questioned till now) and let the Law take its own course. Whether the issue is political or not is beside the point as also is, whether it will be used against her or not.
rgds,
fanne