Top Gun

D-4

Do the ghosts exist? Many people who believe in them will say yes and many those who don’t believe will say no. But if some one names a particular ghost, then those who don’t believe in ghosts will nod their heads in agreement. The ghost I am referring to is “Bofors. “ One of the Top Guns, which helped us to win the Kargil war in early years of this century. But the way it was allowed to come to India has produced few ghosts and above all the name itself is the biggest ghost of them all.

Till yesterday evening, there was no reference to this, even a common man like me have forgotten this in worry of few other scams which made this particular scam look very poor. Scams like Harshad Mehta Scam, Ketan Parekh Scam and more recently, Commonwealth games scam and 2G spectrum scam. If these scams were not enough to make us forgot the Bofors scam then it was onions were enough to make us forgot that age old scam. Though it seems raising price of onions it self is part of another scam!!

I was just 12 - 14 years old kid when this scam was first unearthed. Don’t remember who unearthed it, but it created kind of earthquake in those days. Due to the history I was taught till that day, for me Congress was the only party who is destined to rule this country since, they gave us independence. Anyways, history taught me few things and late Rajiv Gandhi’s extraordinary victory two years back was still fresh in mind and some how it made me convinced that yes what I was learned was true.  I was shocked enough to know that some one is pointing a finger against my beloved central government and my most favorite prime minister. I was cursing those persons who were behind Rajiv Gandhi.

V.P. Singh, another ex-prime minister and then finance minster took stand against Rajiv Gandhi and resigned from his government. He suddenly came to my “black list”. Mr. Arun Shourie the then editor of Indian Express, used to put ten questions every day on front page of the newspaper directly asking Rajiv Gandhi to answer them. Even during the elections which congress eventually lost, I was supporting congress. Rest as they say is history.

As I gradually grew up, I started to understand, what actually the “Bofors Kaand” was and how it effected our nation in a negative way. Those who were younger then me or not even born during that time, let me tell you what actually had happened in few words.

Its crime to pay commission in defense deals in India. India ordered few numbers of Bofors Gun to Sweden based company and two middlemen called Vin Chaddha and Ottavio Quattrochchi, despite being crime in India played the middle man role in the deal and it is said that even the then Prime Minister of India got some share of it. That’s what it is all about.

Now, as it happens in India, once the scam unearthed, congress government did its best to dump it or make it lingering for long. To their luck the incumbent government of V.P.Singh didn’t last long, due to Prime Ministerial expectations  of  Devi Lal and Chandrashekhar in particular. They split the Janata Dal and with the support of Congress they made their own government. As one can understand, there can be understanding between these two parties and for at least four months Bofors was all but forgotten. Then congress withdrew support from Chandrashekhar government on petty issue and during the election campaign Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated. It was thought then that since he is no more, Congress will not have to worry about it. But one question was lingering in every ones mind, that commission was paid and that was a reality.

P.V.Narasimha Rao took over and as expected for five years there was nothing happening on this front and after Mr.Rao oppositions came and went into power and few took congress’ support also. So the ghost was dead and buried for many. Then in 2001 BJP, who were one of the main protesters during mid 80s, when this scam unearthed came to power with sufficient majority, every one thought now, some thing will happen in this regard, but even BJP did nothing to speed up the investigation by the CBI. This is where it sounds or feels very fishy. Because when there was a non congress government, there should have been significant progress in such big scams, but it was as if nothing will go forward. Some times I feel, is all our politicians are friends when it comes to law of land takes it course? First slow up the investigation and then use people’s weak memory and close the case.

But for congress its like a dog who has took some ones’ leg in its mouth and a person trying hard to get rid of it and not been able to do it. Its been almost 24 years now that this issue is going up. Vin Chaddha, Rajiv Gandhi, V.P. Singh are no longer living in this world. Quattrochchi is living peacefully in Argentina. But still it was nation’s money which was paid for bribe. The recent Income Tax department’s tribunal verdict does suggest that bribe has been given. That means that current and ex congress government is lying. CBI was about to file the closure report and just 24 hours before that, tribunal gave this verdict. How embarrassing it can be for the CBI. But do CBI really cares?

It’s already over burdened and always under the ruling party’s toe. If tribunal is right then CBI is wrong, if tribunal is right then Rajiv Gandhi was wrong. Why can’t the Supreme Court intervene and takes the entire issue in it’s hand, like they are doing with 2G scam. When ever congress thinks Bofors is gone, it comes back with bigger venom. If a case which has compromised with nations security, can play in hands of politicians then what will happen with few other cases which are waiting to get justice?

I know such questions are in public’s mind but what can we do and keep on watching the circus going on.

Dessert Storm

First boy: "I bought a Laptop, A bike and a Blackberry last week"

Second boy: "Wow, how lucky you are, what your father does?"

First boy: "He sells Onions!!"