*RECALLING GEORGE FERNANDES: A PERSONAL TRIBUTE* By *Lt Gen Kamal Davar*
Could anyone imagine a firebrand trade-unionist, anti-emergency crusader, a genuine Socialist with an unkempt appearance and no known background in security matters, fit smoothly into the challenging portfolio as India's Defence Minister. That then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee surprised the nation by appointing ole' George as the Defence Minister, would have been himself pleasantly taken aback at George's transition from a fiery, disheveled political man of the streets to be at home with the spit and polish world of the Armed Forces and graduate to being an effective Defence Minister.
That the 'never-say-die ' spirit in George now afflicted with both Alzehemir and Parkinson's diseases , took its toll a day before with his passing away at the age of 88. He was indeed a successful member of Vajpayee's cabinet and during his tenure the 1998 nuclear tests were conducted and the nation successfully fought the Pakistani sponsored Kargil War In 1999.
That the 'never-say-die ' spirit in George now afflicted with both Alzehemir and Parkinson's diseases , took its toll a day before with his passing away at the age of 88. He was indeed a successful member of Vajpayee's cabinet and during his tenure the 1998 nuclear tests were conducted and the nation successfully fought the Pakistani sponsored Kargil War In 1999.
As a follow up of the post Kargil War defence reforms, I had the unique privilege to raise the Defence Intelligence Agency in 2002 and thus interacted with him frequently as his principal military intelligence adviser. Came to know him as a man and a union minister and thus I felt that it is my duty to publicly pay my homage to that uncommon individual who rose above bureaucratic advice and respected the legitimate aspirations of the three services.
At the outset, let me add that a sensitive appointment of the Director General Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) would require scrupulous background checks. Though I have steered clear of political matters---as all soldiers must--- my family's background and their long association with the Indian National Congress and the Nehru-Gandhi family would have automatically sidelined me from being appointed as the DG DIA. However, I must add with admiration that then Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh with his friend and brilliant adviser, Arun Singh, combined with George Fernandes selected me to raise the DIA overlooking the recommendations of the Army HQ. That serving soldiers should keep away from the immoral world of politics, be clinically professional and their loyalty is solely to the nation was exemplified by the then government's decision appointing me.
On 6 March 2002, a day after the Gazette Notification was issued raising the DIA, I went to the Raksha Mantri's office for a courtesy call. As I introduced myself, George Fernandes welcomed me stating " I am glad that the DIA has been raised and apart from the intelligence requirements of the three services, I want you to keep a tab on the doings of the bureaucrats in the Ministry of Defence. " A trifle surprised, I mentioned to the RM that on that day, there was just 'a man and a dog' in the DIA, my designated resources were eagerly awaited and my charter as enunciated by the government did not give me any responsibility on ensuring any bureaucratic surveillance ! However, he promised me all his assistance to raise the DIA speedily and effectively. That he did--- must be put on record.
His senior staff would tell me, to my satisfaction, that he would read our analyses and especially the Quarterly Intelligence Analyses, the last document before he went to sleep. He was always well informed and greatly appreciated any intelligence inputs from the DIA. He would ask piercing questions and unlike most politicians, who are only interested with electioneering, he was the quintessential professional Raksha Mantri with a wide vision and well-versed in history and geo-politics.
George Fernandes was well known to a large number of political leaders around the globe who admired his straight talk. This was evident when I accompanied him to the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore. The American delegation led by their Secretary of State and other high ranking US officials had called upon him to request the Government of India to exercise restraint and not mount operations against Pakistan during the 'Operation Prakaram ' stage. Ole George did give them a piece of his mind highlighting Pakistan's incessant terror acts against India. At a formal Dinner at the Singapore President's palace, he complimented me, dressed in my blue patrols, stating " General, you are looking dashing." He appeared immensely pleased when I stated that "Sir, I better be as I am accompanying the Defence Minister of India! "
As the Defence Minister, he made countless visits to Ladakh and the Siachen Glacier units to interact with the jawans. He would state that he always felt rejuvenated meeting India's soldiers. He had earlier ordered his air-conditioned rooms ensconced bureaucrats to visit Siachen to see the difficult conditions in which the Indian soldier was operating.
For reasons unknown to me, George Fernandes would commence discussing politics with me but gauging my disinterest he would change the topic. However, he did mention to me that his old friend, former PM Narasimha Rao, who also shared an animosity against the Nehru-Gandhi family like George, had tellingly commented that " posterity would remember him as the individual who finished the dynasty" ! However later events proved both Narasimha Rao and George wrong for the Congress came back to power in 2004 and then strongly in 2009. In addition, a black mark in his tenure was George unfairly sacking the upright and outspoken Naval Chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat on flimsy grounds.
On my farewell visit to his office, he joked that " how can you retire"----told him that "Sir we all have to superannuate when we are 60." I carried with me a classified 4 page letter recommending the steps the government must take to sharpen our arsenal and intelligence. He speedily glanced through the letter and stated that " General, we had all unanimously decided to establish the institution of the Chief of Defence Staff but PM Vajpayee changed his mind twice"------ George Fernandes felt that PM Vajpayee's powerful NSA and Principal Secretary, Brajesh Mishra, was largely instrumental in making the PM change his mind.
Easily one of India's finest defence ministers, George Fernandes was many shades different than the common rung of Indian politicians. All those who interacted with him admired him for his commitment to India's security.
So do I. RIP Sir.
So do I. RIP Sir.
NOTE FROM BRIG NARINDER DHAND.
I too will take this opportunity in paying my personal tributes to our Ex Honourable Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes Sahib. I was posted as the DDG Financial Planning 'A' at Army HQ in 1998 when he came as the new Defence Minister. For a change something good happened with his coming in after Shri Mulayam Singh Ji. We no more had to translate our notings in Hindi while processing our files with the MoD.
He was approachable and would not mind calling us to discuss a point on our case if need be. He started the tradition of Fortnightly Conferences with the Three Chiefs and the Def Secretary which gave us a platform to reach him through COAS to project our pending points directly to him.
I had personally initiated a case and was processing the same for Honourable Last rights for our Martyres who lay down their lives for the Nation, to be held at their place of belongings at Govt expenses. One May recall that prior to 1998 the units whose soldiers Martyred had to spend from the Regimental Funds for the purpose amounting to a Lakh of Rupees. At times the unit Personnel contributed to meet such heavy expenditures.
As usual with any case file my case too shuttled up and down with the MoD officials several times on flimsy observations. I personally went and met the Director, and the JS in MoD but of no avail , resulting that my case was hanging in cold storage. How could we produce a precedence of a similar sanction when our case was an initiation.
Totally - disillusioned that I was I wrote a very strong remark on the file, while returning the same to MoD which I still remember, " We in the Armed Forces fail to understand as to why the government of our Nation is so unconcerned about the Martyred Soldier who lay down his life fighting for the Nation that, we cannot give him a honourable Funeral at the place of his belonging." I thus became a bad boy in the eyes of the dealing officers in MoD, and I thus needed to be sorted out by them. The Director once told me " Brig Sahib yahan to aapke Generals bhi hum ko Sir Bolte hain, aur hamen apni file case ke lie beg karte hain, aur aap hain ke , itna strong likhte ho, jara dharti par rahen to theek hoga."
I replied to the director and told "don't you worry for me Mr so and so, I happen to know my Dharti pretty well, I have written what my inner conscious prompted me to do, you guys have the authority to REJECT my case if you cannot process it further and return the case to us. You are liberty to pass on my words to your superior if you so like, but I will not take my file back and change my notings". I returned to my office and could not attend to my work for the remaining part of the day. Next day I discussed with my ADG and the Dy COAS and floated the point for discussion in the RM's next Conf with the three service Chiefs.
During the conf when our point came up, the RM simply directed the Def Secy to issue the sanction same day. The fire started thereafter, we got the Govt letter issued the same day. I had already prepared a comprehensive document of implementation instructions. My ADG asked me to issued the implementation instructions under my signatures to all Commands.
I had intimately known the poor plight of the affected CO of the unit when the unit loses a soldier, hence to his ease, we gave full financial powers to the Commanding Officers of the Units and enhanced the unit Imprest Accounts to meet the expenditures related to the procedures and action of transportation of the body, family and escort by air, which would follow till the end, all at Govt expenditures.
One may recall the Kargil Operations which soon followed and we found the media coverage and the ceremonies of state honours on TV for the Martyres at Airports and Cremation grounds. As of date there are many roads villages and buildings which have been named after the Brave hearts belonging to the village or Mohalla in towns.
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| SELF WITH HONOURABLE RAKSHA MANTRI |
I was moved out prematurely from Army HQs for my 'respectful' interaction with MoD officials. I as a veteran live within me having achieved some thing for the families of our Martyes and the units, where the entire credit goes to Mr George Fernandes Sahib, who made it possible for us. As of today all armed police forces have also been given similar benefit of our sanction for their Martyres, obviously now a precedence had been set in 1998-99 kind courtesy our the Raksha Mantri Ji Late Shri George Fernandes Sahib. .
Brig Narinder Dhand
Brig Narinder Dhand,
Founder & Convener
Veteran's Web Portals.
Founder & Convener
Veteran's Web Portals.
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