05-30-2004, 09:16 PM
<b>Take action against those leaking official secrets: George </b>
Pioneer News Service/ New Delhi
The NDA may be developing cracks, but its convenor George Fernandes remains as combative as ever. The former Defence Minister chose a quiet Sunday to break his silence on veiled threats coming from various quarters in the government that defence purchases during his tenure may be re-examined.
Putting the ball in the government court, Mr Fernandes asked Prime Minsiter Manmohan Singh to order a time-bound probe into the purchase of casket during the Kargil War, and then went on to question <b>Congress president Sonia Gandhi's meeting with top army officials</b>.
Referring to reports that senior government and <b>army officials were meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi and advising her on matters of national security "to get promotions and plum posts", Mr Fernandes said the new government should take immediate action against such officers</b>, who were allegedly leaking official secrets to the MP (Sonia Gandhi).
<b>"If officers are doing that, they are committing breach of official secrets act,'' </b>he said, adding. "Matters of national secrets should not be made into playthings like this.''
Mr Fernandes quoted a recent editorial in an English daily which said: ''If the Congress president is going to be a source of strength to the new Prime Minister, then it is necessary to provide her an institutionalised voice rather than leave her to be seen as playing an extra-constitutional role.
Already,<b> there is a sense of disquiet that career-minded officers and agency chiefs are calling on her and briefing her on matters of national security.'' </b>
Me Fernandes said he has asked the prime minister to order immediate and speedy enquiry into the 'specific' matter of the purchase of reuseable caskets by the army headquarters.
"The enquiry should not take too much time, say two weeks, since the material is easily available with the army headquarters and it will not be a cumbersome task to establish whether I or anyone else has made illegal money out of this stalled procurement," Mr Fernandes wrote in a May 26 letter to the Prime Minister. Copies of the letter were circulated to mediapersons at a Press conference here.
The former defence minister said he has been subjected to attacks for the past two years by members of the Congress, the Left parties and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) within and outside parliament on the matter of purchase of coffins.
"This vituperative campaign was a regular feature in their election speeches at all levels, particularly in areas adjoining our borders where there is a large population of ex-servicemen and troops are stationed in large numbers,'' Mr Fernandes said in the letter.
He sought to play down the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) which had expressed dissatisfaction about the procedures and payments. " This sort of query is routine in every department at the Centre or states as is well known to anyone who has been in the government and to the public who cares to read such reports from time to time in the press," he said.
Mr Fernandes had recently pleaded to the Election Commission to restrain Ms Sonia Gandhi from raising the coffin scam during her recent election campaign.
<b>The former defence minister also criticised a leading English daily which he said twisted the CAG's report into a scam before it reached the president</b>.
Asked about his alleged involvement in the <b>Tehelka episode, the former defence minister said there is no substance in the allegations. ''It is all in the air, not on the ground. Even the Phukan Commission which is probing the scam has not summoned him or sent any notice so far, he said</b>
Pioneer News Service/ New Delhi
The NDA may be developing cracks, but its convenor George Fernandes remains as combative as ever. The former Defence Minister chose a quiet Sunday to break his silence on veiled threats coming from various quarters in the government that defence purchases during his tenure may be re-examined.
Putting the ball in the government court, Mr Fernandes asked Prime Minsiter Manmohan Singh to order a time-bound probe into the purchase of casket during the Kargil War, and then went on to question <b>Congress president Sonia Gandhi's meeting with top army officials</b>.
Referring to reports that senior government and <b>army officials were meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi and advising her on matters of national security "to get promotions and plum posts", Mr Fernandes said the new government should take immediate action against such officers</b>, who were allegedly leaking official secrets to the MP (Sonia Gandhi).
<b>"If officers are doing that, they are committing breach of official secrets act,'' </b>he said, adding. "Matters of national secrets should not be made into playthings like this.''
Mr Fernandes quoted a recent editorial in an English daily which said: ''If the Congress president is going to be a source of strength to the new Prime Minister, then it is necessary to provide her an institutionalised voice rather than leave her to be seen as playing an extra-constitutional role.
Already,<b> there is a sense of disquiet that career-minded officers and agency chiefs are calling on her and briefing her on matters of national security.'' </b>
Me Fernandes said he has asked the prime minister to order immediate and speedy enquiry into the 'specific' matter of the purchase of reuseable caskets by the army headquarters.
"The enquiry should not take too much time, say two weeks, since the material is easily available with the army headquarters and it will not be a cumbersome task to establish whether I or anyone else has made illegal money out of this stalled procurement," Mr Fernandes wrote in a May 26 letter to the Prime Minister. Copies of the letter were circulated to mediapersons at a Press conference here.
The former defence minister said he has been subjected to attacks for the past two years by members of the Congress, the Left parties and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) within and outside parliament on the matter of purchase of coffins.
"This vituperative campaign was a regular feature in their election speeches at all levels, particularly in areas adjoining our borders where there is a large population of ex-servicemen and troops are stationed in large numbers,'' Mr Fernandes said in the letter.
He sought to play down the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) which had expressed dissatisfaction about the procedures and payments. " This sort of query is routine in every department at the Centre or states as is well known to anyone who has been in the government and to the public who cares to read such reports from time to time in the press," he said.
Mr Fernandes had recently pleaded to the Election Commission to restrain Ms Sonia Gandhi from raising the coffin scam during her recent election campaign.
<b>The former defence minister also criticised a leading English daily which he said twisted the CAG's report into a scam before it reached the president</b>.
Asked about his alleged involvement in the <b>Tehelka episode, the former defence minister said there is no substance in the allegations. ''It is all in the air, not on the ground. Even the Phukan Commission which is probing the scam has not summoned him or sent any notice so far, he said</b>