George Fernandes, ‘honourable’ minister for Defence in the NDA administration claims that he was prevented from investigating Bofors by the then PM, Atal Behari Vajpayee. Now he tells us that it was a joke

He did ask me not to rake up the issue… But it was all said in a very light-hearted manner. And you know about Atalji… He does make such remarks,”

(aside – can we consider Ajit’s line – "usse liquid oxygen mein dubado…." to be said in a very light hearted manner ) So what could the then PM have meant:

• Option 1 – Don’t investigate Bofors’ because there is nothing to investigate. It was all smoke without fire.
• Option 2 – Don’t investigate Bofor’s because if you do the Congress will investigate coffins, telecom licenses etal.
• Option 3 – Don’t Investigate Bofor’s because everything that was made in Bofor’s is part of the political parties’ mutual fund, and it pays for all our retirement benefits.
• Option 4 – Vajpayee was joking when he said that don’t investigate it

If i had to choose one option of these four, then option 1 to 3 will be top of my list. Somehow, i find it difficult that the BJP which has had such an anti-Sonia policy, would give up the chance to investigate Bofors. And, I doubt that a man like Atal Behari Vajpayee – would joke about not investigating something like this. Fernandes trying to clarify his ‘Vajpayee told me not to investigate Bofors’ statement, digs him self further in :

He was telling me not to take any decision on whether to go ahead with the purchase (of the Bofors guns) and whether the money paid for them should be got back or any such issue, since no decision had been taken (by the party). As is normal for Vajpayeeji, he may have expressed it in a joking manner, saying ‘Don’t touch the file’,” said Fernandes on Sunday

I am not sure what is worse from the POV of the Indian citizen — a bunch of elected individuals deciding to return money without going through due process, or a Political Party taking a decision – on whether or not to buy guns – that should be taken by the Executive, or the fact that the PM jokingly tells one of his senior ministers’ not to investigate the biggest bribery scandal in the last 3 decades. Is it just me, or does it seem that the entire political establishment is trying to cover this and all other corruption scandals up!!