People's Democracy

George Fernandes Owes Several Answers To People

                                                                                            S R Bandaaru

EVEN during the election time, the TV channels and national newspapers do not raise real issues pertaining to the people. The castes and religions of candidates are given more importance. The media dish out some public opinion polls and go on discussing the statistics of that exercise, which several times go awfully wrong. While covering the election rallies, the TV channels including Doordarshan, show the familiar faces of BJP leaders more frequently without showing as to how many people attended their meetings. Even if they show the attendance, the barricades are merged with the heads of people to provide an illusion.

A pro-BJP private TV channel recently carried a public-relations-exercise-interview of George Fernandes, in its ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ programme.  Fernandes took  questionable positions on several issues, but the so-called public prosecutor in the programme,  only managed to sidetrack the real issues.

First of all Fernandes disclosed to the people of the country that Vajpayee government was not a BJP government but was that of NDA, of which he was the convener.  If it were so, Fernandes should disclose: how many of the 3158 petrol pumps etc., were allotted to the leaders of his party JD(U), like those of RSS-BJP.  He should also disclose how much land he and his party have cornered in Delhi and other cities out of the estimated land worth of Rs. 27,000 crores, allotted at very cheap rates. 

WHOSE HUMAN RIGHTS

On the arrest of Shankaracharya in a murder case, Fernandes said human rights were violated and he is fighting for the seer.  But why he is fighting only for Sankaracharya who is facing criminal charges and, why not for others?  Why Fernandes has not fought for the human rights of Graham Steins and his two sons who were burnt alive by the Bajrang Dal activists of RSS-BJP variety?  Why Fernandes has not fought for the human rights of thousands of those killed or became permanently disabled in the Bhopal chemical mass destruction inflicted by the Americans in 1984.  Why Bhopal gas victims have not been brought to justice by either George Fernandes or George Bush, even after 20 years?  Why Fernandes has not fought for the human rights of those more than 2000 people killed, raped or burnt alive in the Gujarat mayhem under his NDA regime at the Centre? Why did he justify violation of human rights in Gujarat by saying that rapes and live burnings are nothing new in this country?  Fernandes owes answers.

If one analyses Fernandes’ record, he is more interested in fighting for human rights in such foreign countries, whose governments are targeted to be destabilized by America through the CIA.

QUESTIONABLE ROLE

Fernandes claimed in the programme that he has self-respect and that is why he has launched his Swabhiman Manch.  He further claimed that he is very efficient.  If he were an efficient defence minister, why did the Kargil intrusion take place at all? Further, how can a person, who as defence minister of the country when subjected to disrespectful search by the American administration, can claim to have been left with any self-respect?  Where is the self-respect of the country when the Kargil intruders were given “safe passage” by the RSS-BJP pseudo-nationalists and the so-called efficient defence minister?  Why, as defence minister, Fernandes talked about “safe passage” even while the Kargil operations were going on, and which foreign government was behind the move? Fernandes owes answers to the people of this country about his questionable role.

If Fernandes had any self-respect left in him, why did he become the defence minister again, without the commission of inquiry on Tehalka completing its task?

Why did he remove Vishnu Bhagwat as Navy Chief?  What was the urgency and what was the secret?  Why did he, as defence minister, describe China as “Threat No.1”?  Why the incitement (patriotism) politics which had been the order of the day during NDA regime, are not heard these days?  And how much money has been wasted by his NDA government on frequent mobilization and demobilization of armed forces in furtherance of their motivated incitement politics?

WHY AMERICAN IMPORTS?

Why did Fernandes allow import from America and other western countries coffins at the rate of Rs 1,09,000, jackets at the rate of Rs 12,000, a pair of boots at the rate of Rs 5,000, gloves at the rate of Rs 2,000, socks at the rate of Rs 190, sleeping bags at the rate of Rs 8,600 each (all approx.) while the same products are available at much cheaper rates within the country?  Fernandes should answer why he imported a coffin for over a lakh of rupees, when poor people in this country build their houses at a cost of just Rs 20,000.  If Fernandes were so honest about all the above deals, why did he refuse to place the CAG/CVC reports and other records even before parliamentary committees?

George Fernandes, as convener of the NDA, presided over the privatisation of country’s wealth, at throwaway prices. Maruti was handed over to Japanese. Neyveli Lignite project was awarded to an Italian firm. Public sector companies dealing with Aluminum, Zinc and Copper were handed over to Sterlite. Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL) which contributed to government about Rs 3924 crore in a single year, has been handed over to Tatas for just Rs 1400 crore. Indian Petroleum Corporation Ltd (IPCL) with Rs 2946 crore reserve funds was handed over to Ambanis for just Rs 1490 crore. Container Corporation, Paradip Phosphates, Modern Foods, Jessop, ITDC hotels, Centeur hotels and several other government assets acquired with the sweat, blood and taxes of the people of this country were sold away by the JD(U)-BJP leaders, as if national wealth became their personal property. Several thousand crores of rupees of loans taken by big businessmen and corporate houses from public finance institutions were written off by Fernandes-Vajpayee government. The NDA government prepared a blue print for handing over all the 246 central public sector companies in favour of foreign and Indian multinational companies by 2010.  All the government banks have been planned to be handed over to private corporate houses. The state’s role in petroleum, mineral resources, information technology, telecommunications, defence and several other fields has been diluted by the NDA government. 

If George Fernandes and his friends in JD(U) were socialists, why did they allow such large- scale privatistion of India’s assets, resources and funds?

How did Fernandes remain deaf and dumbto the loot of estimated Rs 1,25,000 crore through the stock market by the international finance capital during his NDA regime? Why did he remain silent when over Rs 6,000 crore of Indian tax payer’s money was invested in a foreign company Enron, by the pseudo-nationalists? Has Fernandes also got educated from the “educational expenses” from Enron?  Does he also subscribe to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s definition that bribe is a “suvidha shulk” (facilitation fees)?