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Bofors, Bhagwat are different issues, says Pawar

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sharad Pawar today asserted that there is no comparison between the Bofors scandal and the Bhagwat dismissal and the Congress is not politicising defence matters.

Pawar told reporters in Lucknow that the Bofors issue was a "brazen lie" with origins in foreign countries and disseminated in India by opposition parties to destabilise the government of the late Rajiv Gandhi.

"Without any proof the non-Congress parties would spread lies. Bofors was one such weapon used for character assassination," he said.

The former defence minister noted that Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat's dismissal is, on the other hand, a "serious matter" as issues of national security are involved. "At least the country has a right to know the truth behind the charges and counter-charges being levelled against each other by Defence Minister George Fernandes and sacked naval chief Vishnu Bhagwat."

Asked whether the Congress was just taking revenge on the Bharatiya Janata Party by raising the issue, Pawar said, "The Vajpayee government has failed to satisfy both political leaders and the people on the exact reason regarding the sacking of the naval chief."

"We are not passing any judgement on the charges of corruption levelled against the defence minister, but a joint parliamentary probe is essential to bring out the truth," he added.

UNI

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