Bhagwat chronicles his sacking, book release today

Bhagwat chronicles his sacking, book release today
GAURAV C. SAWANT

NEW DELHI, FEB 15: As buglers herald in the International Fleet Review, the Indian Navy's biggest ceremonial event in Mumbai tomorrow, Betrayal of Defence Forces, a book by former naval chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat will hit the stands.

The 416-page book chronicles the circumstances that led to Bhagwat's ``sacking' on December 30, 1998, with a special focus on his last nine months in office. Bhagwat gives out his side of the story called The Inside Truth of the murky happenings inside the corridors of South Block.

Sample this: ``The wheeling and dealing had begun to bring Vice-Amiral (VADM) Sushil Kumar (present naval chief) as the chief. VADM Harinder Singh acted as a cat's paw for George Fernandes, Ved Malik and Sushil Kumar to take over. The coup against democracy was meticulously planned and executed.''

Bhagwat also is said to have felt that former Chief Of Army Staff (COAS) General Ved Malik had his eyes on the post of chief of defence staff (CDS) and ignored the ``slimy'' activities of then Defence secretary Ajit Kumar. ``Gen Malik had no hesitation in describing Admit Kumar as slimy in front of us...A CDS post Malik wanted created for himself would set matters right.''

On Ajit Kumar being a spoke in the smooth functioning of the services and the chief of staff committee Bhagwat writes: ``Not only did the minister refuse to meet the chiefs of staff on this issue, but also sadly within hours of the note having been sent; Air Chief Marshal (S.K.) Sareen informed me that Gen Malik had made a deal with George Fernandes.''

The book talks about the anti-gun-running operations, Ajit Kumar, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Air Defence Ship, 30 year submarine building project and Bhagwat's meeting with Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee -- where the PM asked him if there was any an-ban (tiff) with Fernandes, -- meetings with Fernandes and Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra in its 40 chapters.

``The book has already been placed at all hotels and book stores in Mumbai and Delhi,'' says V.K. Garg of Manas publications, publishers of the former Admiral's book. Incidentally, though the Navy invited all former chiefs of naval staff, Bhagwat who lives in Mumbai, has reportedly not been invited.

In the book, Bhagwat has called his being relieved of duties as a politico-military coup. ``Fernandes' strategy was to say yes to everything in a meeting...then subvert the chiefs by attacking them through the media, write letters to the PM to make allegations without evidence, accept papers cooked up by Ajit Kumar assisted by VADM Sushil Kumar. VADM Harinder Singh was a good bridge with the Akalis and to beat CNS with,'' he writes.

In the first part of the book, Bhagwat spells out his agenda for the Navy once he took over as the naval chief and also recounts anecdotes with political personalities during his earlier stints at naval headquarters. ``Once in 1991 when I was facing turbulent weather, the then minister of state for defence Arun Singh during a meeting at his home said: `Sundarji, you and I are mavericks, the system could not really take us; that we travelled so far is far enough for us isn't it.' I said: `Yes minister,' and he burst out laughing.''

In the final countdown (to his sacking) Bhagwat says that Fernandes already had positioned his Akali Dal and RSS-backed connected people in key positions and that it was common knowledge that middle level postings, promotions, selection for prestigious courses were already being done through ``fixers'' in Connaught Place.

At one level ``legal opinion was being taken for dismissing or relieving the CNBS of his duties... at another I was told that since the PM was not in favour of any extreme step as on 19th December the whole matter was to be entrusted to Shri Jaswant Singh...On 29th December I was also told that money had started flowing in to George Fernandes and friends via London.''