New Delhi, March 14: The shields have gone up. Fear psychosis seems to have gripped the armed forces after Tuesday's Tehelka expose. Sources have gone underground. No one wants to talk anymore to the press. The corridors of power are now silent...with heads hanging in shame and an expression of disbelief writ large over everybody's face.The expose's biggest victim is the armed forces, who will now have to stop dreaming about modernisation.
It seems that the Air Force (IAF) may not be getting the advance jet trainer (AJT) `Hawks' from Britain. It is being claimed now that the Hawks deal was negotiated at triple the actual cost of the aircraft. The IAF will now have to wait for the Russian 30 Su-30MKIs.
For the Army, it may be an indefinite wait for the 310 T-90 tanks and the 155mm Howitzers.
For the Navy, the immediate victim will be much-sought-after Admiral Gorshkov warship, which was to come from Russia. The case of the MiG-29s, the naval version for the warship, may also have a similar fate.
Former Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat said, "indications are now emerging of payoffs in new Mirage deal, acquisition of T-90 tanks, AJTs, deal to buy tanks mounted with 155mm guns and tank transporters."
According to Maj Gen (retd) APS Chauhan, "I had predicted that this will happen (referring to the suspension of some senior officers) especially after the Kargil operations. I had, at that time, asked for the suspension of Lt Gen Khanna, since he was in the know of what was happening."
In the military, accountability starts at the top. We are seeing the reverse, this is being abetted by the politician to get his pound of flesh, a subversion of the worst kind, he added.
Furthering, the sacked Navy chief said, "the transcripts, video films shows clearly that only the corrupt are acceptable." No honest officer is permitted to remain in his post, he added.
Citing an example of one Admiral Purohit, who was denied promotions by the ministry for his alleged role in several Naval logistic deals and finally got the boots, he said, "it clearly shows that no institution of the state has been left which has not been subverted."
Meanwhile, on every attempt to contact several sources there was a constant fear that the calls are being taped or being filmed. Nobody was willing to talk. Why?. One officer's wife, who was clearly perturbed over the news of Tehelka, was not willing to put her officer husband on the line.
And as the Pandora's box has been opened, more will spill out. It was clearly the fear of the unseen and the unspoken threatening them all.
Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
